Reaction of benzene with atomic carbon: pathways to fulvenallene and the fulvenallenyl radical in extraterrestrial atmospheres and the interstellar medium.
The reaction of benzene with ground-state atomic carbon, C((3)P), has been investigated using the G3X-K composite quantum chemical method. A suite of novel energetically favorable pathways that lead to previously unconsidered products are identified. Reaction is initiated by barrierless C atom cycloaddition to benzene on the triplet surface, producing a vibrationally excited [C7H6]* adduct that can dissociate to the cycloheptatrienyl radical (+ H) via a relatively loose transition state 4.4 kcal mol(-1) below the reactant energies. This study also identifies that this reaction adduct can isomerize to generate five-membered ring intermediates that can further dissociate to the global C7H5 minima, the fulvenallenyl radical (+ H), or to c-C5H4 and acetylene, with limiting barriers around 20 and 10 kcal mol(-1) below the reactants, respectively. If intersystem crossing to the singlet surface occurs, isomerization pathways that are lower-yet in energy are available leading to the C7H6 minima fulvenallene, with all barriers over 40 kcal mol(-1) below the reactants. From here further barrierless fragmentation to fulvenallenyl + H can proceed at ca. 25 kcal mol(-1) below the reactants. In the reducing atmospheres of planets like Jupiter and satellites like Titan, where benzene and C((3)P) are both expected, it is proposed that fulvenallene and the fulvenallenyl radical would be the dominant products of the C6H6 + C((3)P) reaction. Fulvenallenyl may also be a significant reaction product under collision-free conditions representative of the interstellar medium, although further work is required here to confirm the identity of the C7H5 radical product.
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne , Victoria 3010, Australia.
Gabriel
G
da Silva