Reactions of Methyl Radicals. II. Hydrogen Abstraction from Methyl Trifluoroacetate

Abstract

Hydrogen abstraction from CF3COOCH3 and CH3COCH3 by CH3 radicals CF3 + CF3COOCH3 → CH4 + CF3COOCH2 (1) CF3 + CF3COOCH3 → CH4 + CH3COCH2 (3) has been studied in the temperature range 117-244�. The rate constants, based on the value of 1013.34 cm3 mol-1 s-1 for the recombination of CH3 radicals, are given by (k in cm3 mol-1 s-1 and E in J mol-1) : logk1 = (10.39 � 0.11)- (37680 � 880)/19.145T logk3 = (11.53 � 0.02)- (40590 � 170)/19.145T CF3COOCH3 is less susceptible to attack by CH3 radicals than by CF3 radicals by a factor of 2.8 at 400 K, due mainly to a difference in A factors, since the activation energies of the two reactions are almost identical. These results can be rationalized in terms of intermolecular polar repulsion between the CF3 radical and CF3COOCH3.