Unimolecular dissociation and thermochemistry of CH3OOH

J Chem Phys. 2005 Jun 8;122(22):221101. doi: 10.1063/1.1928228.

Abstract

The unimolecular dissociation of CH3OOH is investigated by exciting the molecule in the region of its 5nu(OH) band and probing the resulting OH fragments using laser-induced fluorescence. The measured OH fragment rotational and translational energies are used to determine the CH3O-OH bond dissociation energy, which we estimate to be approximately 42.6+/-1 kcal/mol. Combining this value with the known heats of formation of the fragments also gives an estimate for the heat of formation of CH3OOH which at 0 K we determine to be deltaH(f)0=-27+/-1 kcal/mol. This experimental value is in good agreement with the results of ab initio calculations carried out at the CCSD(T)/complete basis set limit which finds the heat of formation of CH3OOH at 0 K to be deltaH(f)0=-27.3 kcal/mol.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.