Formaldehyde, bond dissociation energy

Co2(CO)q system, reveals that the reactions proceed through mononuclear transition states and intermediates, many of which have established precedents. The major pathway requires neither radical intermediates nor free formaldehyde. The observed rate laws, product distributions, kinetic isotope effects, solvent effects, and thermochemical parameters are accounted for by the proposed mechanistic scheme. Significant support of the proposed scheme at every crucial step is provided by a new type of semi-empirical molecular-orbital calculation which is parameterized via known bond-dissociation energies. The results may serve as a starting point for more detailed calculations. Generalization to other transition-metal catalyzed systems is not yet possible. 

There is no certain value for D(G - H) in formaldehyde. Long and Norrish3i8 point out that atomic hydrogen reacts very readily with formaldehyde, removing a hydrogen atom, but does not react with methane. They consider that this shows that the dissociation energy of the first GH bond has a smaller value in formaldehyde than in methane. 

This ester resembles its methyl homologue in possessing three modes of decomposition [131]. It also supports a self-decomposition flame, the multiple reaction zones of which are clearly separated at low pressures [122, 123, 125]. Temperature and composition profiles in the low-pressure decomposition flame have been measured [133]. The products include formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and ethanol with smaller amounts of methane and nitromethane. The activation energy derived from the variation of flame speed with final flame temperature was 38 kcal. mole", close to the dissociation energy of the RO—NO2 bond. The controlling reaction is believed to be unimolecular in its low pressure regime, and the rate coefficient calculated from the heat-release profile is... 

The complete active space valence bond (CASVB) method is an approach for interpreting complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) wave functions by means of valence bond resonance structures built on atom-like localized orbitals. The transformation from CASSCF to CASVB wave functions does not change the variational space, and thus it is done without loss of information on the total energy and wave function. In the present article, some applications of the CASVB method to chemical reactions are reviewed following a brief introduction to this method unimolecular dissociation reaction of formaldehyde, H2CO — H2+CO, and hydrogen exchange reactions, H2+X — H+HX (X=F, Cl, Br, and I). 

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