RESUMO
To gain insight into the mechanisms and kinetics of 2-azido-N,N-dimethylethanamine's (DMAZ's) thermal decomposition postulated reaction paths were simulated with ab initio and density functional theory quantum chemistry models. Four reaction types were modeled: (i) spin-allowed and spin-forbidden paths involving N-N(2) bond fission and nitrene formation, (ii) HN(3) elimination with the formation of (dimethylamino)ethylene, (iii) N-N(2) bond fission with the formation of molecules with three- or four-membered heterocyclic rings, and (iv) simple scission of C-H, C-N, and C-C bonds. The geometries of stationary points of the reactions were obtained with a MPWB1K/6-31+G(d,p) model. To locate and model the geometries of minimum energy intersystem crossing points for triplet nitrene formation and isomerization, unrestricted broken spin symmetry calculations were performed. Employed to model an analogous path for methyl azide's decomposition, this approach was found to yield results similar to those obtained with a CASSCF(10,8)/aug-cc-pVDZ model. Of the four reaction types studied, N-N(2) bond fissions with singlet or triplet nitrene formation were found to have the lowest barriers. Barriers for paths to cyclic products were found to be 2-4 kcal/mol higher. Kinetic rate expressions for individual paths were derived from the quantum chemistry results, and spin-allowed nitrene formation was found to be dominant at all temperatures and pressures examined. The expression 2.69 × 10(9) (s(-1))T(1.405) exp(-39.0 (kcal/mol)/RT), which was derived from QCISD(T)/6-31++G(3df,2p)//MPWB1K/6-31+G(d,p) results, was found to be representative of this reaction's gas-phase rate. Adjusted on the basis of results from self-consistent reaction field models to account for solvation by n-dodecane, the expression became 1.11 × 10(9) (s(-1))T(1.480) exp(-37.6 (kcal/mol)/RT). Utilizing this result and others derived in the study, a model of the decomposition of n-dodecane-solvated DMAZ was constructed, and it generated simulations that well-reproduce previously published measured data for the process.
RESUMO
Stationary points of paths for H atom abstraction from CH(3)NHNH(2) (monomethylhydrazine) by NO(2) were characterized via CCSD(T)/6-311++G(3df,2p)//MPWB1K/6-31+G(d,p) and CCSD(T)/6-311+G(2df,p)//CCSD/6-31+G(d,p) calculations. Five transition states connecting CH(3)NHNH(2)-NO(2) complexes to a manifold that includes CH(3)NHNH-HONO, CH(3)NNH(2)-HONO, CH(3)NNH(2)-HNO(2), and CH(3)NHNH-HNO(2) complexes were identified. Transition states that connect CH(3)NHNH-HONO, CH(3)NNH(2)-HONO, CH(3)NNH(2)-HNO(2), and CH(3)NHNH-HNO(2) complexes to each other via H atom exchange and/or hindered internal rotation were also identified. The high point in the minimum energy path from the CH(3)NHNH(2) + NO(2) reactant asymptote to the manifold of HONO-containing product states is a transition state 8.6 kcal/mol above the reactant asymptote. From a kinetics standpoint, this value is considerably higher than the 5.9 kcal/mol value that was estimated for it based on theoretical results for H atom abstraction from NH(3) by NO(2).
RESUMO
To establish force-field-based (molecular) modeling capability that will accurately predict condensed-phase thermophysical properties for materials containing aliphatic azide chains, potential parameters for atom types unique to such chains have been developed and added to the COMPASS force field. The development effort identified the need to define four new atom types: one for each of the three azide nitrogen atoms and one for the carbon atom bonded to the azide. Calculations performed with the expanded force field yield (gas-phase) molecular structures and vibrational frequencies for hydrazoic acid, azidomethane, and the anti and gauche forms of azidoethane in good agreement with values determined experimentally and/or through computational quantum mechanics. Liquid densities calculated via molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were also in good agreement with published values for 13 of 15 training set compounds, the exceptions being hydrazoic acid and azidomethane. Of the 13 compounds whose densities are well simulated, nine have experimentally determined heats of vaporization reported in the open literature, and in all of these cases, MD simulated values for this property are in reasonable agreement with the published values. Simulations with the force field also yielded reasonable density estimates for a series of 2-azidoethanamines that have been synthesized and tested for use as hydrazine-alternative fuels.
