Non-RRKM Dynamics in the CH3O2 + NO Reaction System

Abstract

Quasi-classical trajectory (QCT) calculations on a model potential energy surface (PES) show strong deviations from statistical Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM) rate theory for the decomposition reaction (1) CH3OONO* --> CH3O + NO2, where the highly excited CH3OONO* was formed by (2) CH3O2 + NO --> CH3OONO*. The model PES accurately describes the vibrational frequencies, structures, and thermochemistry of the cis- and trans-CH3OONO isomers; it includes cis-trans isomerization in addition to reactions 1 and 2 but does not include nitrate formation, which is too slow to affect the decay rate of CH3OONO*. The QCT results give a strongly time-dependent rate constant for decomposition and damped oscillations in the decomposition rate, not predicted by statistical rate theory. Anharmonicity is shown to play an important role in reducing the rate constant by a factor of 10 smaller than predicted using classical harmonic RRKM theory (microcanonical variational transition state theory). Master equation simulations of organic nitrate yields published previously by two groups assumed that RRKM theory is accurate for reactions 1 and 2 but required surprising parametrizations to fit experimental nitrate yield data. In the present work, it is hypothesized that the non-RRKM rate of reaction (1) and vibrational anharmonicity are at least partly responsible for the surprising parameters.