title: A crossed molecular beam and ab initio investigation of the exclusive methyl loss pathway in the gas phase reaction of boron monoxide (BO; X2Σ+) with dimethylacetylene (CH3CCCH3; X1A(1g)).
abstract: The crossed molecular beam reaction of boron monoxide ((11)BO; X(2)Σ(+)) with dimethylacetylene (CH3CCCH3; X(1)A(1g)) was investigated at a collision energy of 23.9 ± 1.5 kJ mol(-1). The scattering dynamics were suggested to be indirect (complex forming reaction) and were initiated by the addition of (11)BO(X(2)Σ(+)) with the radical center located at the boron atom to the π electron density at the acetylenic carbon-carbon triple bond without entrance barrier leading to cis-trans(11)BOC4H6 doublet radical intermediates. cis-(11)BOC4H6 underwent cis-trans isomerization followed by unimolecular decomposition via a methyl group (CH3) loss forming 1-propynyl boron monoxide (CH3CC(11)BO) in an overall exoergic reaction (experimental: -91 ± 22 kJ mol(-1); theoretical: -105 ± 9 kJ mol(-1); NIST: -104 ± 12 kJ mol(-1)) via a tight exit transition state; trans-(11)BOC4H6 was found to lose a methyl group instantaneously. Neither atomic nor molecular hydrogen loss pathways were detectable. The experimental finding of an exclusive methyl loss pathway gains full support from our computational study predicting a methyl group versus atomic hydrogen loss branching ratio of 99.99% to 0.01% forming 1-propynyl boron monoxide (CH3CC(11)BO) and 1-methyl-propadienyl boron monoxide (CH3((11)BO)CCCH2), respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA. ralfk@hawaii.edu.
authors.forename: Ralf I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Kaiser
authors.forename: Surajit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maity
authors.forename: Beni B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Dangi
authors.forename: Yuan-Siang
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Agnes H H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Chang