Catalytic Effect of CO2 and H2O Molecules on •CH3 + 3O2 Reaction

Abstract

The methyl (•CH3) + 3O2 radical is an important reaction in both atmospheric and combustion processes. We investigated potential energy surfaces for the effect of CO2 and H2O molecules on a •CH3+ O2 system. The mechanism for three reaction systems, i.e., for •CH3 + 3O2, •CH3 + 3O2 (+CO2) and •CH3 + 3O2 (+H2O), were explored using ab initio/DFT methods [CCSD(T)//M062X/6-311++G(3df,3pd)] in combination with a Rice−Ramsperger−Kassel−Marcus (RRKM)/master-equation (ME) simulation between a temperature range of 500 to 1500 K and a pressure range of 0.0001 to 10 atm. When a CO2 and H2O molecule is introduced in a •CH3 + 3O2 reaction, the reactive complexes, intermediates, transition states and post complexes become thermodynamically more favorable. The calculated rate constant for the •CH3 + 3O2 (3 × 10−15 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 at 1000 K) is in good agreement with the previously reported experimentally measured values (~1 × 10−15 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 at 1000 K). The rate constant for the effect of CO2 (3 × 10−16 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 at 1000 K) and H2O (2 × 10−17 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 at 1000 K) is at least one–two-order magnitude smaller than the free reaction (3 × 10−15 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 at 1000 K). The effect of CO2 and H2O on •CH3 + 3O2 shows non-RRKM behavior, however, the effect on •CH3 + 3O2 shows RRKM behavior. Our results also demonstrate that a single CO2 and H2O molecule has the potential to accelerate a gas-phase reaction at temperature higher than >1300 K and slow the reaction at a lower temperature. The result is unique and observed for the first time.