Theoretical study of the H + HCN → H + HNC process

Abstract

We present a theoretical study on the detailed mechanism and kinetics of the H+HCN →H+HNC process. The potential energy surface was calculated at the complete basis set quantum chemical method, CBS-QB3. The vibrational frequencies and geometries for four isomers (H₂CN, cis-HCNH, trans-HCNH, CNH₂), and seven saddle points (TSn where n = 1 − 7) are very important and must be considered during the process of formation of the HNC in the reaction were calculated at the B3LYP/6-311G(2d,d,p) level, within CBS-QB3 method. Three different pathways (PW1, PW2, and PW3) were analyzed and the results from the potential energy surface calculations were used to solve the master equation. The results were employed to calculate the thermal rate constant and pathways branching ratio of the title reaction over the temperature range of 300 up to 3000 K. The rate constants for reaction H + HCN → H + HNC were fitted by the modified Arrhenius expressions. Our calculations indicate that the formation of the HNC preferentially occurs via formation of cis–HCNH, the fitted expression is k _{P W2}(T) = 9.98 × 10⁻²² T ^2.41 exp(−7.62 kcal.mol⁻¹/R T) while the predicted overall rate constant k _{O v e r a l l} (T) = 9.45 × 10⁻²¹ T ^2.15 exp(−8.56 kcal.mol⁻¹/R T) in cm ³ molecule ⁻¹ s ⁻¹.