Peri-condensed Aromatic Hydrocarbons Research Articles

Reaction kinetics of phenyl + phenylacetylene at combustion-relevant intermediate temperatures

The reaction between phenyl radical and phenylacetylene is a prototype for the reactions of aryl radicals and alkynyl peri‑condensed aromatic hydrocarbons (PCAHs), which may help explain the dimerization of PCAHs by covalent bond with acetylene assistance. In this work, we have experimentally and theoretically investigated reaction kinetics of phenyl radical and phenylacetylene. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) is applied to separate and identify molecular structures of reaction products in a jet-stirred reactor (JSR). Diphenylacetylene is observed as the major product of this reaction, which shows dominant concentration near 1000 K. Formation of phenanthrene increases with temperature, while 9-methylene-fluorene is a minor product, and 2-ethynyl-biphenyl is negligible. The potential energy surface and rate coefficients of phenyl and phenylacetylene reaction are calculated by quantum chemistry and transition state theory. 1,2-Diphenylvinyl is the only resonance-stabilized radical (RSR) among the adducts formed via all six possible addition reaction channels. Its formation reaction channel has a much lower energy barrier and deeper potential well and, therefore, it wins the competition in the reaction of phenyl and phenylacetylene at combustion-relevant intermediate temperatures.

Inception of Carbonaceous Nanostructures via Hydrogen-Abstraction Phenylacetylene-Addition Mechanism.

Sufficient experimental evidence has suggested that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are the building blocks of carbonaceous nanostructures in combustion and circumstellar envelops of carbon-rich stars, but their fundamental formation mechanisms remain elusive. By exploring the reaction kinetics of phenylacetylene with 1-naphthyl/4-phenanthryl radicals, we provide compelling theoretical and experimental evidence for a novel and self-consistent hydrogen-abstraction phenylacetylene-addition (HAPaA) mechanism. HAPaA operates efficiently at both low and high temperatures, leading to the formation, expansion, and nucleation of peri-condensed aromatic hydrocarbons (PCAHs), which are otherwise difficult to synthesis via traditional hydrogen-abstraction acetylene/vinylacetylene-addition pathways. The HAPaA mechanism can be generalized to other α-alkynyl PCAHs and thus provides an alternative covalent bond bridge for PCAH combination via an acetylene linker. The proposed HAPaA mechanism may contribute toward a comprehensive understanding of soot formation, carbonaceous nanomaterials synthesis, and the origin and evolution of carbon in our galaxy.

Rapid soot inception via α-alkynyl substitution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Soot particles alter global climate and dominate the origin and evolution of carbonaceous interstellar material. Convincing experimental evidence has linked polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) to soot inception under low-temperature astrochemistry and high-temperature combustion conditions. However, significant gaps still remain in the knowledge of PAH and soot formation mechanisms. Here, we report theoretical and experimental evidence for a soot inception and growth pathway driven by peri-condensed aromatic hydrocarbons (PCAH) with an alkynyl substitution. Initially, free radicals attack the α-alkynyl substitution of PCAHs to form covalently bound compounds yielding resonantly stabilized radicals (RSRs), which promote further clustering through repeated addition reactions with negligible energy barriers. The proposed pathway is shown to be competitive at temperatures relevant to astrochemistry, engine exhaust manifold and flames because it does not require H-abstraction reactions, the requisite reaction precursors are in abundance, and the reaction rate is high. Such addition reactions of PCAHs with α-alkyne substituents create covalently bound clusters from moderate-size PAHs that may otherwise be too small to coagulate.

Molecular dynamics simulations of incipient carbonaceous nanoparticle formation at flame conditions

Particle nucleation remains one of the most intriguing steps in the process of particle formation in flames. Although stacking/clustering of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been identified as a key step in the nucleation process, uncertainties remain about the size of the PAHs undergoing clustering, the organisation of the PAHs in the forming clusters and the factors affecting the relative amounts of order and disorder present in the texture organisation. A molecular dynamics approach is presented to study the influence of the molecular weight and structure of PAHs on the nucleation and coagulation processes and on the morphology of the formed clusters. Two different types of macromolecules have been analysed: pericondensed aromatic hydrocarbons (PCAHs) and aromatic aliphatic linked hydrocarbons (AALHs), known to be present in flame environments depending on flame temperature, equivalence ratio and fuel chemical structure. Clustering of six organic molecules has been analysed at two extreme temperatures, namely 500 K and 1500 K. The six molecules have been chosen on the basis of their molecular weight (pyrene and coronene) and molecular structure (single molecules, covalent-bonded dimers and covalent-bonded trimers). Nucleation of single pyrene molecules is negligible at low temperature and practically absent at high temperature. Conversely, nucleation of single coronene molecules involves 33% of the initial molecules at low temperature. Molecules within the clusters are highly mobile at flame temperatures and just 5% of the initial molecules are in clusters. The presence of covalent bonds among the aromatic sub-units improves clustering and growth, both for pyrene and coronene sub-units. Looking at the structure and the fractal dimensionality of the formed clusters, an enhancement of the disorder of the clusters is observed in the case of the AALHs (dimers and trimers) with an increased number of molecules not arranged in parallel planes. The same behaviour is found for the higher temperature.

Das gelchromatographische trennverhalten von polystyrolgel für kohlenwasserstoffe, amine und phenole : Präparative fraktionierung von cigarettenrauchkondensat für biologische versuche

Gel chromatographic separation of hydrocarbons, amines and phenols on a polystyrene gel column. Preparative fractionation of cigarette smoke condensate for biological experiments Separations of cata- and peri-condensed aromatic hydrocarbons, of alkanes, alkenes, phenols, aromatic amines, N-heterocycles, terpenes and fatty acid esters were achieved on a column with the polystyrene gel Bio-Beads SX-8 in tetrahydrofuran. A molecular sieving effect was the predominant factor in the separation. In addition, the separation was influenced by interactions with the gel matrix or reactions with the solvent, depending on the structure of the compounds. The loading capacity was determined by the use of radioactive-labelled compounds. A fraction of cigarette smoke condensate was separated into three subfractions, one of them containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons composed of up to six rings.