Journal of Physical Chemistry A, Vol.106, No.13, 3106-3113, 2002
Theoretical study of the thermal decomposition pathways of 2-H heptafluoropropane
The structures, vibrational frequencies, and energetics of 2-H heptafluoropropane (CF3CHFCF3) as well as the thermal decomposition products and transition-state molecules have been studied theoretically with both ab initio and density functional methods. Of a total of 12 primary reaction pathways, two have been identified as thermodynamically and kineticatly favorable reactions, These are (1) CF3CHFCF3 --> CF3CF=CF2 + HF, a four-center HF elimination pathway, and (2) CF3CHFCF3 --> CF3CHF + CF3, a C-C bond fission pathway. The best estimate of the DeltaH(r.298) for these processes are 34.8 and 92.3 kcal/mol using QCISD(T)/6-311G-(d,p)//UMP2/6-31G(d) methods, respectively. The barrier for CF3CHFCF3 - CF3CF=CF2 + HF was found to be 79.5 kcal/mol using the same methods. These results are discussed in light of past and current laboratory studies.