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Physical Chemistry: Theoretical Chemical Kinetics

This document discusses various theories of chemical kinetics including simple collision theory, modified collision theory, computer simulations, and activated complex theory. It describes how reaction rates can be parameterized using the Arrhenius equation with activation energy and pre-exponential factor or using Eyring's equation based on the thermodynamic properties of the activated complex. Experimental kinetic data for several reactions are also presented along with the relationships between Arrhenius and Eyring parameters.

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90 views18 pages

Physical Chemistry: Theoretical Chemical Kinetics

This document discusses various theories of chemical kinetics including simple collision theory, modified collision theory, computer simulations, and activated complex theory. It describes how reaction rates can be parameterized using the Arrhenius equation with activation energy and pre-exponential factor or using Eyring's equation based on the thermodynamic properties of the activated complex. Experimental kinetic data for several reactions are also presented along with the relationships between Arrhenius and Eyring parameters.

Uploaded by

jeep2014
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Physical Chemistry

Lecture 5
Theoretical chemical kinetics
Chemical kinetics
Understand the nature of reactions
Predict reaction outcomes based on
 Reactants
 Conditions
Requires integration of theory and
experimental results
Temperature dependence of
rate constants
k (T ) = A exp(− Ea / RT )

Empirical theory of
Arrhenius gives a useful
way to parameterize
rate constants
 A ≡ pre-exponential
factor
 Ea ≡ activation energy
Often seen in analysis
of kinetic data
Non-Arrhenius behavior
Arrhenius behavior is
empirical
For some reactions the
temperature
dependence of the rate
constant is not
exponential
Theory does not easily
predict Arrhenius form
Amazing that Arrhenius
behavior is so often
seen
Elementary reactions
Chemical reactions are often more complex than
presented and do not occur as a single step
Some reactions do occur in a single step --
elementary reactions
 Generally involve simple mono- or bimolecular interactions
 Order in elementary reactions is the stoichiometry number,
called molecularity

H2 + 2 O → H 2O2 v = k[ H 2 ]1[O]2

H + Br → HBr v = k[ H ]1[ Br ]1
Simple collision theory of gas-
phase kinetics
To participate in a
bimolecular reaction, v ∝ < Z AB >
molecules must vmax = < Z AB > = σ AB < v AB > n*AnB*
approach each other = σ AB N 0
8kT
C ACB
SCT: gas-phase reaction πµ

rate proportional to
collision frequency
SCT does not generally σ AB = πd AB
2
≡ collision cross − section
agree with experimental
rates 8kT
k max = σ AB N 0
Points out how to think πµ
about theory of
chemical reactions
“Correcting” simple collision
theory
SCT neglects two features
 Collision must be sufficiently
energetic to cause reaction
v = < Z AB > p exp( − Emin / RT )
 Molecules must have proper
orientation to allow reaction 8kT
= p σ AB N 0 exp( − Emin / RT ) C ACB
Empirically add two πµ
factors to account for
these features k = p σ AB N 0
8kT
exp( − Emin / RT )
 p ≡ steric factor πµ
 Emin ≡ minimum energy for
reaction
Like van der Waals’s
improvement of the ideal-
gas law
Relation of SCT parameters to
Arrhenius parameters
Many experimental data
reported as Arrhenius
Arrhenius behavior
behavior
Comparison with SCT ∂ ln k Ea
=
necessary to connect ∂T RT 2
theory and experiment
Predicts a temperature- By comparison of differentials
dependent activation
energy and pre- RT
Ea = Emin +
exponential factor 2
(which may not be the A = p e1/ 2 k max
observation)
Experimental SCT and
Arrhenius parameters
Reaction Range ln A Ea p

H + D2 → HD + D 300 – 750 24.61 39.3 0.088

H + HCl → H2 + Cl 200 – 500 23.85 14.6 0.039

H + HBr → H2 + Br 1000 - 1700 25.42 15.5 0.076

O + O3 → 2 O2 273 –900 23.21 20.0 0.037

N + NO → N2 + O 300 – 6000 23.28 ~0 0.040

CH3 + C6H6 → CH4 + C6H5 456 – 600 17.04 38.5 2.7 × 10-5

BH3 + BH3CO → CO + B2H6 273 – 333 19.34 29.3 2.9 × 10-4

PH3 + B2H6 → PH3BH3 +BH3 249 – 273 14.97 47.7 7.4 × 10-6

CO + O2 → O + CO2 2400 – 3000 21.97 213.4 4.3 × 10-3

F2 + ClO2 → F + FClO2 227 – 247 16.37 33.5 5.2 × 10-5

(a) The range of validity is expressed in kelvins.


(b) A is in dm3 mol-1 s-1.
(c) Ea is in kJ mol-1.
Computer modeling of
potential-energy surfaces
Potential energy of
configuration of
molecules controls
interaction
Model time-dependent
approach of molecules
with (classical or
quantum) simulation
Example:
 D + H2 → HD + H
Several parameters
 Distances
 Angles
Computer simulation of
reaction
Reactive encounters
go through the
reactive region
Unreactive
encounters go to the
reactive region and
return in the same
channel

M. Karplus, R. N. Porter, and R. D. Shamra, J. Chem.


Phys., 43,3258 (1965).
Simulation of a reactive event
Follow the time
course of the
approach
Atoms exchange
partners
Time scale is very
short
Repeat many times
and measure
fraction of times
that reactive events
happen
Activated-complex theory
Theory developed by H.
Eyring, M. Evans, and
M. Polanyi
Proposed the existence
of an activated
complex, a precursor to
products
The activated complex
forms product(s) by a
first-order process
Activated-complex
mathematics
Reaction velocity
proportional to v= f C ≠
activated-complex K≠ =
a≠
≅C θ
C≠
concentration a Aa B C ACB
Quasi-equilibrium
between reactants and v=
fK ≠
C ACB
θ
activated complex C
 ∆S ≠   ∆H ≠ 
Statistical mechanics =
RT
θ
exp  exp − C ACB
defines disappearance hN 0C  R   RT 
rate constant of
activated complex, f
Eyring’s equation
Activated-complex theory gives a form for
the biomolecular rate constant, k2, in terms
of the parameters of the activated complex
RT  ∆S ≠   ∆H ≠ 
k2 = θ
exp exp − 
hN 0C  R   RT 

This is not Arrhenius-like behavior


Difficult to distinguish from Arrhenius
behavior under many circumstances
Different way to parameterize the SCT rate
constant
Evaluation of Eyring
parameters
Evaluate by plotting
ln(k/T) versus 1/T
Example
CH4 + OH → CH3 + H2 O
From slope and
intercept
 ∆H≠ = 12.0 kJ/mol T. Gierczak, R. Talukdar, S. Herndon, G. Vaghjiani, A. Ravishankara,
J. Phys. Chem, 101A, 3125 (1997).
 ∆S≠ = -33.2 J/K-mol
Alternative to
Arrhenius parameters
Relation of Eyring and
Arrhenius parameters
Need to be able to convert between the two
parameterizations of kinetic data
Use differential of Eyring form to show relationships

Phase/Molecularity Activation Energy, Ea Pre-exponential factor, A


Solution ∆H ≠ + RT eRT ∆S ≠
θ
exp( )
hN 0C R
Gas, unimolecular ∆H ≠ + RT eRT ∆S ≠
exp( )
hN 0 R
Gas, bimolecular ∆H ≠ + 2 RT e 2 RT ∆S ≠
exp( )
hN 0C θ R
Gas, termolecular ∆H ≠ + 3RT e3 RT ∆S ≠
exp( )
hN 0C θ 2 R
Summary
Theories of simple reactions
 Simple collision theory
 Modified collision theory
 Computer simulation
 Activated-complex theory
Parameterization of reaction dynamics
 Activation energy and pre-exponential
factor
 Equilibrium thermodynamic properties of
activated complex

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