Reaction Kinetics of HBr with HO 2 : A New Channel for Isotope Scrambling Reactions.

The gas phase reaction kinetics of HBr with the HO2 radical are investigated over the temperature range of T = 200-1500 K using a theoretical approach based on transition state theory. The parameters for the potential energy surface are computed using density functional theory with the M11 exchange functional. The rate coefficient for the HBr + HO2 → Br + H2 O2 abstraction channel is found to be somewhat larger than previous estimates at low temperatures due to quantum tunneling. The present study reveals the existence of a novel exchange pathway, HBr + H'O2 → H'Br + HO2 , which exhibits a much lower reaction barrier than does the abstraction route. The transition state for this process is a symmetrical planar five-membered-ring-shaped structure. At low temperatures, this concerted double hydrogen transfer reaction is several orders of magnitude faster than the abstraction channel. The exchange process may be observed using isotope scrambling reactions; such reactions may contribute to observed isotope abundances in the atmosphere. The rate coefficients for the isotopically labeled reactions are computed.