A combined crossed beam and ab initio investigation on the reaction of carbon species with C4H6 isomers. II. The dimethylacetylene molecule, H3CCCCH3(X(1)A(1g))
Lcl. Huang et al., A combined crossed beam and ab initio investigation on the reaction of carbon species with C4H6 isomers. II. The dimethylacetylene molecule, H3CCCCH3(X(1)A(1g)), J CHEM PHYS, 113(21), 2000, pp. 9637-9648
The reaction of ground state carbon atoms, C(P-3(j)), with dimethylacetylen
e, H3CCCCH3, was studied at three collision energies between 21.2 and 36.9
kJmol(-1) employing the crossed molecular beam approach, Our experiments we
re combined with ab initio and RRKM calculations. It is found that the reac
tion is barrierless via a loose, early transition stare located at the cent
rifugal barrier following indirect scattering dynamics through a,complex. C
(P-3(j)) attacks the pi system of the dimethylacetylene molecule to form a
dimethylclopropenylidene intermediate either in one step via an addition to
C1 and C2 of the acetylenic bond or through an addition to only one carbon
atom. to give a short-lived cis/trans dimethylpropenediylidene intermediat
es followed by ring closure. The cyclic intermediate ring opens to a linear
dimethylpropargylene radical which rotates almost parallel to the total an
gular momentum vector J. This complex fragments to atomic hydrogen and a li
near 1-methylbutatrienyl radical, H2CCCCCH3(X(2)A"), via a tight exit trans
ition state located about 18 kJmol(-1) above the separated products. The ex
perimentally determined exothermicity of 190+/-25 kJmol(-1) is in strong ag
reement with our calculated data of 180+/-10 kJmol(-1). The explicit verifi
cation of the carbon versus hydrogen exchange pathway together with the fir
st identification of the H2CCCCCH3 radical represents a third pathway to fo
rm chain C5H5 radicals in the reactions of C(P-3(j)) with C4H6 isomers unde
r single collision conditions. Previous experiments of atomic carbon with t
he 1,3-butadiene isomer verified the formation;,of 1- and 3-vinylpropargyl
radicals, HCCCHC2H3(X(2)A"), and H2CCCC2H3(X(2)A"). respectively. In high-d
ensity environments; such as combustion flames and circumstellar envelopes
of carbon stars, these linear isomers can undergo collision-induced ring cl
osure(s) and/or H atom migration(s) which can lead to the cyclopentadienyl
radical. The latter is thought to be a crucial reactive intermediate in soo
t formation and possibly in the production of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarb
on molecules in outflow of carbon stars. Likewise, a H atom catalyzed isome
rization can interconvert the 3-vinylpropargyl and the 1-methylbutatrienyl
radical. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-9606(00)00438-4].