Kinetics Of Radical Reactions Research Articles

How Lipid Unsaturation, Peroxyl Radical Partitioning, and Chromanol Lipophilic Tail Affect the Antioxidant Activity of α-Tocopherol: Direct Visualization via High-Throughput Fluorescence Studies Conducted with Fluorogenic α-Tocopherol Analogues

The preparation of two highly sensitive fluorogenic α-tocopherol (TOH) analogues which undergo >30-fold fluorescence intensity enhancement upon reaction with peroxyl radicals is reported. The probes consist of a chromanol moiety coupled to the meso position of a BODIPY fluorophore, where the use of a methylene linker (BODIPY-2,2,5,7,8-pentamethyl-6-hydroxy-chroman adduct, H(2)B-PMHC) vs an ester linker (meso-methanoyl BODIPY-6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchromane-2-carboxylic acid, H(2)B-TOH) enables tuning their reactivity toward H-atom abstraction by peroxyl radicals. The development of a high-throughput fluorescence assay for monitoring kinetics of peroxyl radical reactions in liposomes is subsequently described where the evolution of the fluorescence intensity over time provides a rapid, facile method to conduct competitive kinetic studies in the presence of TOH and its analogues. A quantitative treatment is formulated for the temporal evolution of the intensity in terms of relative rate constants of H-atom abstraction (k(inh)) from the various tocopherol analogues. Combined, the new probes, the fluorescence assay, and the data analysis provide a new method to obtain, in a rapid, parallel format, relative antioxidant activities in phospholipid membranes. The method is exemplified with four chromanol-based antioxidant compounds differing in their aliphatic tails (TOH, PMHC, H(2)B-PMHC, and H(2)B-TOH). Studies were conducted in six different liposome solutions prepared from poly- and mono-unsaturated and saturated (fluid vs gel phase) lipids in the presence of either hydrophilic or lipophilic peroxyl radicals. A number of key insights into the chemistry of the TOH antioxidants in lipid membranes are provided: (1) The relative antioxidant activities of chromanols in homogeneous solution, arising from their inherent chemical reactivity, readily translate to the microheterogeneous environment at the water/lipid interface; thus similar values for k(inh)(H(2)B-PMHC)/k(inh)(H(2)B-TOH) in the range of 2-3 are recorded both in homogeneous solution and in liposome suspensions with hydrophilic or lipophilic peroxyl radicals. (2) The relative antioxidant activity between tocopherol analogues with the same inherent chemical reactivity but bearing short (PMHC) or long (TOH) aliphatic tails, k(inh)(PMHC)/k(inh)(TOH), is ~8 in the presence of hydrophilic peroxyl radicals, regardless of the nature of the lipid membrane into which they are embedded. (3) Antioxidants embedded in saturated lipids do not efficiently scavenge hydrophilic peroxyl radicals; under these conditions wastage reactions among peroxyl radicals become important, and this translates into larger times for antioxidant consumption. (4) Lipophilic peroxyl radicals show reduced discrimination between antioxidants bearing long and short aliphatic tails, with k(inh)(PMHC)/k(inh)(TOH) in the range of 3-4 for most lipid membranes. (5) Lipophilic peroxyl radicals are scavenged with the same efficiency by all four antioxidants studied, regardless of the nature of their aliphatic tail or the lipid membrane into which they are embedded. These data underpin the key role the lipid environment plays in modulating the rate of reaction of antioxidants characterized by similar inherent chemical reactivity (arising from a conserved chromanol moiety) but differing in their membrane mobility (structural differences in the lipophilic tail). Altogether, a novel, facile method of study, new insights, and a quantitative understanding on the critical role of lipid diversity in modulating antioxidant activity in the lipid milieu are reported.

Tree structure for intermolecular hydrogen abstraction from hydrocarbons (C/H) and generic rate constant rules for abstraction by vinyl radical

AbstractModeling of complex reaction systems is necessary in the design, analysis, and optimization of many technologically important processes such as pyrolysis, steam cracking, coking, partial oxidation, and combustion. The complexity in kinetic modeling of all these processes is introduced both by the feed, which is a hydrocarbon mixture, and the high reactivity of radical intermediates. Recent advances in automated mechanism generation tools, although capable of establishing the complex reaction network, pose a big challenge of assigning rate parameters for all the reactions or devising appropriate estimation rules for all reaction classes in the network. The kinetics of free radical reactions dictates the chemistry of technologically important thermal processes. Intermolecular hydrogen abstraction by radicals is one of the dominant reaction types and constitutes a major part (often >50%) in any thermal reaction network owing to their profound effect on product distribution. While abstraction reactions by H atoms (and to some extent by methyl radicals) have been studied extensively in the past, the abstraction kinetics by vinyl radical is less explored even though vinyl radicals play an important role in molecular weight growth chemistry and in predicting acetylene concentrations in pyrolysis and fuel‐rich hydrocarbon flames. This study presents the hierarchical tree structure for intermolecular hydrogen abstraction by vinyl radicals from {C/H} molecules and provides generic rate rules that account for most of the variation in CH bond energy in the family of aliphatic, aromatic, naphthenic, olefinic, and aromatic naphtheno hydrocarbons. Reaction classes developed in this work are still dictated by immediate neighbors within the spirit of group additivity, although some efforts were made to access the effect of non–next neighbors on generic rate parameters. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 44: 327–349, 2012

Reaction Kinetics of Hydroxyl Radicals with Model Compounds of Fuel Cell Polymer Membranes

AbstractThe chemical stability of perfluorinated and non‐perfluorinated low temperature fuel cell model compounds (MCs) against attack by hydroxyl radicals, HO•, is compared using a competition kinetics approach in aqueous solutions at ambient temperature. HO• radicals were generated in situ by UV photolysis of hydrogen peroxide in the electron spin resonance (ESR) resonator. Acetic acid (AA), trifluoroacetic acid (TFAA), methanesulfonic acid (MSA), trifluorosulfonic acid (TFSA), and perfluoro(2‐ethoxyethane)sulfonic acid (PFEESA) were chosen as MCs, while the rate constants of 5,5‐dimethyl‐1‐pyrroline‐N‐oxide (DMPO) and methanol (CH3OH) served as reference for the determination of relative rate constants by means of steady state ESR signal amplitudes. In decreasing order the rate constants are: kMSA = (4.8 ± 0.2) × 107 M–1 s–1, kAA = (4.2 ± 0.3) × 107 M–1 s–1, kPFEESA = (3.7 ± 0.1) × 106 M–1 s–1, kTFAA = (7.9 ± 0.2) × 105 M–1 s–1, and kTFSA < 1.0 × 105 M–1 s–1. Applying these results to perfluorinated fuel cell membranes like Nafion®, the main points of attack by HO• are concluded to be the ether groups of the side chains, followed by the remaining carboxyl groups from the manufacturing process of the polymers.

Low temperature kinetics of unstable radical reactions

Recent advances in Earth and satellite based observations of molecules in interstellar environments and in planetary atmospheres have highlighted the lack of information regarding many important gas-phase formation mechanisms involving neutral species at low temperatures. Whilst significant progress has been made towards a better understanding of radical-molecule reactions in these regions, the inherent difficulties involved in the investigation of reactions between two unstable radical species have hindered progress in this area. This perspective article provides a brief review of the most common techniques applied to study radical-radical reactions below room temperature, before outlining the developments in our laboratory that have allowed us to extend such measurements to temperatures relevant to astrochemical environments. These developments will be discussed with particular emphasis on our recent investigations of the reactions of atomic nitrogen with diatomic radicals.

Laboratory studies of photochemistry and gas phase radical reaction kinetics relevant to planetary atmospheres

This review seeks to bring together a selection of recent laboratory work on gas phase photochemistry, kinetics and reaction dynamics of radical species relevant to the understanding of planetary atmospheres other than that of Earth. A majority of work focuses on the rich organic chemistry associated with photochemically initiated reactions in the upper atmospheres of the giant planets. Reactions relevant to Titan, the largest moon of Saturn and with a nitrogen/methane dominated atmosphere, have also received much focus due to potential to explain the chemistry of Earth's prebiotic atmosphere. Analogies are drawn between the approaches of terrestrial and non-terrestrial atmospheric chemistry.

Numerical Simulation of 3-D Chemical Non-Equilibrium Flow in the Afterburning Chamber of Solid Ducked Rocket

In order to reveal the complex turbulent combustion processes in the afterburning chamber of Solid Ducked Rocket (SDR), Based on the fundamental equations of hydrokinetics and elementary principles of radical reaction kinetics, using multi-component chemical reaction equation of containing Mg and Al components, the numerical simulation of chemical non-equilibrium flow in the afterburning chamber of SDR is processed and effects of the air inlet angle on the afterburning chamber is studied by using Fluent software. The results show that pressure distribution is more balanced, temperature distribution is very uneven and flow is extremely complicated in the afterburning chamber. Combustion efficiency can be increased by improving the air inlet angle.

Physical organic chemistry

Physical organic chemistry – the study of the interplay between structure and reactivity in organic molecules – underpins organic chemistry, and we cannot imagine organic chemistry as a subject without knowledge of mechanism and reactivity. It is sometimes thought that the golden age of ‘physical organic chemistry’ was in the 20th century, when systematic information about mechanism first burst onto the scene. Certainly the impact of early knowledge of mechanism of fundamental aliphatic substitution reactions, among others, was enormous, but our knowledge of reactivity and mechanism has continued to progress and deepen enormously ever since and this has been reflected in a number of Nobel Prizes in Chemistry. In an area of particular interest to me, the transformation of radical chemistry from being an almost impenetrable area to one that can be usefully harnessed even in synthetic applications, has been extraordinary – this transformation has been relatively recent and has been principally dependent on the accurate determination of kinetics of radical reactions. Applications to complex reactions in biology, polymer chemistry and electronic materials are ever more prevalent, and add to contributions in ‘small molecule’ chemistry. Novel experimental techniques combined with the revolution in computational chemistry give new impetus to physical organic chemistry and contribute to its continuing importance, an importance that is reflected in the large number of international meetings in physical organic chemistry in the past two years. I am privileged to act as Guest Editor for this Thematic Series of the Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry, and hope that you enjoy the papers that form this issue. I am grateful to the contributors for their contributions. John A. Murphy Glasgow, November 2010

Theoretical study on the kinetics of OH radical reactions with CH3OOH and CH3CH2OOH

The mechanisms and kinetics studies of the OH radical with alkyl hydroperoxides CH(3)OOH and CH(3)CH(2)OOH reactions have been carried out theoretically. The geometries and frequencies of all the stationary points are calculated at the UBHandHLYP/6-311G(d,p) level, and the energy profiles are further refined by interpolated single-point energies method at the MC-QCISD level of theory. For two reactions, five H-abstraction channels are found and five products (CH(3)OO, CH(2)OOH, CH(3)CH(2)OO, CH(2)CH(2)OOH, and CH(3)CHOOH) are produced during the above processes. The rate constants for the CH(3)OOH/CH(3)CH(2)OOH + OH reactions are corrected by canonical variational transition state theory within 250-1500 K, and the small-curvature tunneling is included. The total rate constants are evaluated from the sum of the individual rate constants and the branching ratios are in good agreement with the experimental data. The Arrhenius expressions for the reactions are obtained.

Kinetics of radical reactions involved in the gas-phase thermal decomposition of nitrobenzene

The performance of a method for analyzing complex kinetic processes is demonstrated by the example of the thermal decomposition of nitrobenzene in the gas phase. A gradual increase in the number of reactions, determination of the parameters involved, and comparison with experimental data made it possible to construct a minimum mechanism capable of describing the experimental data within the selected pressure range. The rate constants for a number of reactions of radicals with the initial reactant and reaction products were determined.

Gas‐Phase Kinetics of Hydroxyl Radical Reactions with Alkenes: Experiment and Theory

Reactions of the hydroxyl radical with propene and 1-butene are studied experimentally in the gas phase in a continuous supersonic flow reactor over the range 50≤T/K≤224. OH radicals are produced by pulsed laser photolysis of H(2)O(2) at 266 nm in the supersonic flow and followed by laser-induced fluorescence in the (1, 0) A(2)Σ(+)←X(2)Π(3/2) band at about 282 nm. These reactions are found to exhibit negative temperature dependences over the entire temperature range investigated, varying between (3.1-19.2) and (4.2-28.6)×10(-11) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) for the reactions of OH with propene and 1-butene, respectively. Quantum chemical calculations of the potential energy surfaces are used as the basis for energy- and rotationally resolved Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus calculations to determine the rate constants over a range of temperatures and pressures. The negative temperature dependences of the rate constants are explained by competition between complex redissociation and passage to the adducts by using a model with two transition states. The results are compared and contrasted with earlier studies and discussed in terms of their potential relevance to the atmosphere of Saturn.

ChemInform Abstract: Kinetics of Cage Radical Reactions in Organic Solids

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

ChemInform Abstract: Reaction Kinetics of Sulfur-Centered Radicals

ChemInform Abstract: Reaction Kinetics of Sulfur-Centered Radicals

Kinetics of OH radical reaction with CF3CHFCH2F (HFC-245eb) between 200 and 400K: G3MP2, G3B3 and transition state theory calculations

The rate coefficients of hydroxyl radical (OH) reaction with CF 3 CHFCH 2 F (HFC-245eb) were computed using G3MP2 and G3B3 theories between 200 and 400 K. Nine different transition states were identified for the title reaction and confirmed by intrinsic reaction coordinate (IRC) calculations. The contributions of all the individual hydrogen atoms in different rotamers for the title reaction were computed and compared with the results obtained by experimental methods and structure activity relationships (SAR). The rate coefficients for the title reaction were computed to be k = (1.57 ± 0.14) × 10 −13 exp[−(690 ± 26)/ T ] cm 3 molecule −1 s −1 at G3MP2, and k = (0.97 ± 0.13) × 10 −13 exp[−(513 ± 39)/ T ] cm 3 molecule −1 s −1 at G3B3 theories. Theoretically calculated rate coefficients are found to be in good agreement with the experimental results. The tropospheric lifetime of CF 3 CHFCH 2 F because of its reaction with OH radicals are computed to be 2.52 and 2.14 years at G3MP2 and G3B3 level of theories, respectively.

Theoretical Study on Reaction Mechanisms and Kinetics of Cyanomidyl Radical with NO

The mechanisms and kinetics of the reaction of the cyanomidyl radical (HNCN) with the NO have been investigated by the high-level ab initio molecular orbital method in conjunction with VTST and RRKM theory. The species involved have been optimized at the B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,2p) level and their single-point energies are refined by the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-PVQZ//B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,2p) method. Our calculated results indicate that the favorable pathways for the formation of several isomers of an HNCN-NO complex. Formations of HNC + N(2)O (P1) and HNCO + N(2) (P2) are also possible, although these two pathways involve little activation energy. Employing the Fukui functions and HSAB theory, we are able to rationalize the scenario of the calculated outcome. The predicted total rate constants, k(total), at a 760 Torr Ar pressure can be represented by the equations k(total) = 4.39 x 10(8) T(-7.30) exp(-1.76 kcal mol(-1)/RT) at T = 298-1000 K and 1.01 x 10(-32) T(5.32) exp(11.27 kcal mol(-1)/RT) at T = 1050-3000 K, respectively, in units of cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1). In addition, the rate constants for key individual product channels are provided in a table for different temperature and pressure conditions. These results are recommended for combustion modeling applications.

Comment on “Temperature and Solvent Effects on Radical Scavenging Ability of Phenols”

Comment on “Temperature and Solvent Effects on Radical Scavenging Ability of Phenols”

Reply to “Comment on ‘Primary Atmospheric Oxidation Mechanism for Toluene’”

Reply to “Comment on ‘Primary Atmospheric Oxidation Mechanism for Toluene’”

Chelate-Modified Fenton Reaction for the Degradation of Trichloroethylene in Aqueous and Two-Phase Systems

The primary objective of this research was to model and understand the chelate-modified Fenton reaction for the destruction of trichloroethylene (TCE) present in both the aqueous and organic (in the form of droplets) phases. The addition of a nontoxic chelate (L), such as citrate or gluconic acid, allows for operation at near-neutral pH and controlled release of Fe(II)/Fe(III). For the standard Fenton reaction at low pH in two-phase systems, an optimum H(2)O(2):Fe(II) molar ratio was found to be between 1:1 and 2:1. Experimentation proved the chelate-modified Fenton reaction effectively dechlorinated TCE in both the aqueous and organic phases at pH 6-7 using low H(2)O(2):Fe(II) molar ratios (4:1 to 8:1). Increasing the L:Fe ratio was found to decrease the rate of H(2)O(2) degradation in both Fe(II) and Fe(III) systems at near-neutral pH. Generalized models were developed to predict the concentration of TCE in the aqueous phase and TCE droplet radius as a function of time using literature-reported hydroxyl radical reaction kinetics and mass transfer relationships. Additional aspects of this work include the reusability of the Fe-citrate complex under repeated H(2)O(2) injections in real water systems as well as packed column studies for simulated groundwater injection.

Structure−Activity Relationship and Mechanism of the Tocopherol-Regenerating Activity of Resveratrol and Its Analogues

The present study investigated the mechanism of the synergistic antioxidant activity of alpha-tocopherol with resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene, 3,5,4'-THS) and its synthetic analogues, that is, 3,4-dihydroxy-trans-stilbene (3,4-DHS), 4,4'-dihydroxy-trans-stilbene (4,4'-DHS), 4-hydroxy-trans-stilbene (4-HS), and 3,5-dihydroxy-trans-stilbene (3,5-DHS). The reaction kinetics of alpha-tocopheroxyl radical with resveratrol and its analogues were studied in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) micelles using the stopped-flow electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) technique. It was found that resveratrol and its analogues could regenerate alpha-tocopherol with rate constants (k(REG)) in the order of 3,4-DHS > 4,4'-DHS > resveratrol > or = 4-HS > or = 3,5-DHS in SDS and CTAB micelles. It was found that the analogues bearing o-dihydroxyl groups (3,4-DHS) and p-dihydroxyl groups (4,4'-HS) exhibited remarkably higher alpha-tocopherol-regenerating activity than those bearing no such groups (resveratrol, 4-HS, and 3,5-DHS). In addition, the alpha-tocopherol-regenerating activity of resveratrol and its analogues was correlated with their electrochemical behaviors, suggesting that electron transfer might play a critical role during the regeneration reaction.

The kinetics of radical reactions in the radiolysis of aqueous solutions of organic nitro compounds

Pulsed radiolysis and computer simulation of gamma radiolytic decomposition of organic nitrates in aqueous solutions were performed to determine the rate constants for reactions with the participation of intermediates determining the mechanism of the process. 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene, 2,4-dinitrotoluene, and cyclic nitramine, cyclotrimethylene-trinitramine, were used as substrates. The bimolecular rate constants for the reactions of hydrated electrons (e aq − ) and hydroxyl radicals (•OH) with the substrates and constants for the recombination of electron adducts and carbon-centered radicals (the products of the detachment of the H atom from the nitro compound molecule by the OH radical) were determined by direct measurements with the use of high-speed spectrophotometry. Computer simulation of the reaction scheme was used to estimate the rate constant for significant reactions, monomolecular forward and back reactions of electron adducts and electron transfer to molecular oxygen, and refine the rate constant for the reaction of e aq − with tert-butanol.

Kinetic modeling of the benzyl + HO2 reaction

Benzyl is a resonantly stabilized radical that commonly occurs as an intermediate in the combustion of aromatic compounds. The bimolecular reaction of benzyl with HO2 is important in the oxidation of toluene, especially at low to moderate temperatures, where unimolecular decomposition of the benzyl radical is slow. We show that the addition of HO2 to the methylene site in benzyl produces a vibrationally excited benzylhydroperoxide adduct, with over 60kcalmol−1 (251kJmol−1) of excess energy above the ground state. RRKM simulations are performed on the benzyl+HO2 reaction, using thermochemical and kinetic parameters obtained from ab initio calculations, with variational transition state theory (VTST) for treatment of barrierless radical+radical reaction kinetics. Our results reveal that the benzyl+HO2 reaction proceeds predominantly to the benzoxyl radical+OH at temperatures of around 800K and above, with the production of stabilized benzylhydroperoxide molecules dominating at lower temperatures. The heat of formation of the benzyl radical is calculated as 52.5kcalmol−1 (219.7kJmol−1) at the G3B3 level of theory, in relative agreement with other recent determinations of this value.