Theoretical investigations on photodissociation dynamics of deuterated alkyl halides CD₃CH₂F

The product branching ratio between different products in multichannel reactions is as important as the over-all rate of reaction, both in terms of practical applications (e.g. models of combustion or atmosphere chemistry) in understanding the fundamental mechanisms of such chemical reactions. A global ground state potential energy surface for the dissociation reaction of deuterated alkyl halide CD3CH2F was computed at the CCSD(T)/CBS//B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ level of theory for all species. The decomposition of CD3CH2F is controversial concerning C-F bond dissociation reaction and molecular (HF, DF, H2, D2, HD) elimination reaction. Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM) calculations were applied to compute the rate constants for individual reaction steps and the relative product branching ratios for the dissociation products were calculated using the steady-state approach. At the different energies studied, the RRKM method predicts that the main channel for DF or HF elimination from 1,2-elimination of CD3CH2F is through a four-center transition state, whereas D2 or H2 elimination from 1,1-elimination of CD3CH2F occurs through a direct three-center elimination. At 266, 248, and 193 nm photodissociation, the main product CD2CH2+DF branching ratios are computed to be 96.57%, 91.47%, and 48.52%, respectively; however, at 157 nm photodissociation, the product branching ratio is computed to be 16.11%. Based on these transition state structures and energies, the following photodissociation mechanisms are suggested: At 266, 248, 193 nm, CD3CH2F→absorption of a photon→TS5→the formation of the major product CD2CH2+DF; at 157 nm, CD3CH2F→absorption of a photon→D/F interchange of TS1→CDH2CDF→H/F interchange of TS2→CHD2CHDF→the formation of the major product CHD2+CHDF.