Unimolecular dissociation of a neopentyl radical to isobutene and methyl radical is competitive with theneopentyl association with O
2(
3![](/isubscribe/journals/jpcafh/111/i23/eqn/jp070072de10001.gif)
) in thermal oxidative systems. Furthermore, both isobutene and the OHradical are important primary products from the reactions of neopentyl with O
2. Consequently, the reactionsof O
2 with the 2-hydroxy-1,1-dimethylethyl and 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropyl radicals resulting from the OHaddition to isobutene are important to understanding the oxidation of neopentane and other branchedhydrocarbons. Reactions that correspond to the association of radical adducts with O
2(
3![](/isubscribe/journals/jpcafh/111/i23/eqn/jp070072de10002.gif)
) involvechemically activated peroxy intermediates, which can isomerize and react to form one of several productsbefore stabilization. The above reaction systems were analyzed with ab initio and density functional calculationsto evaluate the thermochemistry, reaction paths, and kinetics that are important in neopentyl radical oxidation.The stationary points of potential energy surfaces were analyzed based on the enthalpies calculated at theCBS-Q level. The entropies,
S
298, and heat capacities,
Cp(
T), (0
T/K
![](/images/entities/le.gif)
1500), from vibration, translation,and external rotation contributions were calculated using statistical mechanics based on the vibrationalfrequencies and structures obtained from the density functional study. The
hindered internal rotor contributionsto
S
298 and
Cp(
T) were calculated by solving the Schrödinger equation with free rotor wave functions, andthe partition coefficients were treated by direct integration over energy levels of the internal rotation potentials.Enthalpies of formation (
Hf
298) were determined using isodesmic reaction analysis. The
Hf
298 values of(CH
3)
2C
![](/images/entities/bull.gif)
CH
2OH, (CH
3)
2C(OO
![](/images/entities/bull.gif)
)CH
2OH, (CH
3)
2C(OH)C
![](/images/entities/bull.gif)
H
2, and (CH
3)
2C(OH)CH
2OO
![](/images/entities/bull.gif)
radicals weredetermined to be -23.3, -62.2, -24.2, and -61.8 kcal mol
-1, respectively. Elementary rate constants werecalculated from canonical transition state theory, and pressure-dependent rate constants for multichannel reactionsystems were calculated as functions of pressure and temperature using multifrequency quantum Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel (QRRK) analysis for
k(
E) and a master equation for pressure falloff. Kinetic parametersfor intermediate and product formation channels of the above reaction systems are presented as functions oftemperature and pressure.