PNNL

Abstract

The mechanism of the hydrogen abstraction reaction H2O2+OH? HO2+H2O in gas phase was studied, using DFT (MPW1K) level of theory. We located 2 pathways for the reaction, both going through the same intermediate complex OH-H2O2, but via two distinct transition state structures that differ by the orientation of the hydroxyl hydrogen relative to the incipient hydroperoxy hydrogen. In one case, these hydrogens are on same side of the plane made by the 3 oxygen atoms and in the other these hydrogens are on opposite sides of the plane. The first two excited states were calculated for selected points of both pathways using time-dependent DFT, multiconfigurational quasi-degenerate-perturbation theory (MCQDPT2/ CASSCF) and equation of motion coupled cluster singles, doubles model (EOM-CCSD) EOMCCSD energies and completely renormalized EOM-CCSD(T)(IA) correction. An avoided crossing between the two excited states was found on both reaction pathways, on the product side of the barrier to H-transfer on the ground state surface, near the transition states. Further more, we report on the calculation of the rate of the reaction in the gas phase for temperatures in the range of 250-500 K, and suggest that the strong temperature dependence of the rate at high temperatures is due to reaction on the low-lying excited state surface over a barrier that is much larger than on the ground state surface. This work was supported in part by the Office of Basic Energy Sciences of the Department of Energy (DOE), Chemical Sciences program (BG and MD) and in part by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Biological and Environmental Research, Environmental Management Science Program (BG and DMC). The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is operated for DOE by Battelle Memorial Institute.