Kinetics of the Simplest Criegee Intermediate Reaction with Water Vapor: Revisit and Isotope Effect

The kinetics of the simplest Criegee intermediate (CH2OO) reaction with water vapor was revisited. By improving the signal-to-noise ratio and the precision of water concentration, we found that the kinetics of CH2OO involves not only two water molecules but also one and three water molecules. Our experimental results suggest that the decay of CH2OO can be described as d[CH2OO]/dt = -k(obs)[CH2OO]; k(obs) = k(0) + k(1)[water] + k(2)[water](2) + k(3)[water](3); k(1) = (4.22 +/- 0.48) x 10(-16) cm(3) s(-1), k(2) = (10.66 +/- 0.83) x 10(-33) cm(6) s(-1), k(3) = (1.48 +/- 0.17) x 10(-50) cm(9) s(-1) at 298 K and 300 Torr with the respective Arrhenius activation energies of E-a1 = 1.8 +/- 1.1 kcal mol(-1), E-a2 = -11.1 +/- 2.1 kcal mol(-1), E-a3 = -17.4 +/- 3.9 kcal mol-1. The contribution of the k(3)[water](3) term becomes less significant at higher temperatures around 345 K, but it is not ignorable at 298 K and lower temperatures. By quantifying the concentrations of H2O and D2O with a Coriolis-type direct mass flow sensor, the kinetic isotope effect (KIE) was investigated at 298 K and 300 Torr and KIE(k(1)) = k(1)(H2O)/k1(D2O) = 1.30 +/- 0.32; similarly, KIE(k(2)) = 2.25 +/- 0.44 and KIE(k(3)) = 0.99 +/- 0.13. These mild KIE values are consistent with theoretical calculations based on the variational transition state theory, confirming that the title reaction has a broad and low barrier, and the reaction coordinate involves not only the motion of a hydrogen atom but also that of an oxygen atom. Comparing the results recorded under 300 Torr (N-2 buffer gas) with those under 600 Torr, a weak pressure effect of k(3) was found. From quantum chemistry calculations, we found that the CH2OO + 3H(2)O reaction is dominated by the reaction pathways involving a ring structure consisting of two water molecules, which facilitate the hydrogen atom transfer, while the third water molecule is hydrogen-bonded outside the ring. Furthermore, analysis based on dipole capture rates showed that the CH2OO(H2O) + (H2O)(2) and CH2OO(H2O)(2) + H2O pathways will dominate in the three water reaction.