Issue 8, 2014

The role of isovalency in the reactions of the cyano (CN), boron monoxide (BO), silicon nitride (SiN), and ethynyl (C2H) radicals with unsaturated hydrocarbons acetylene (C2H2) and ethylene (C2H4)

Abstract

The classification of chemical reactions based on shared characteristics is at the heart of the chemical sciences, and is well exemplified by Langmuir's concept of isovalency, in which ‘two molecular entities with the same number of valence electrons have similar chemistries’. Within this account we further investigate the ramifications of the isovalency of four radicals with the same X2Σ+ electronic structure – cyano (CN), boron monoxide (BO), silicon nitride (SiN), and ethynyl (C2H), and their reactions with simple prototype hydrocarbons acetylene (C2H2) and ethylene (C2H4). The fact that these four reactants own the same X2Σ+ electronic ground state should dictate the outcome of their reactions with prototypical hydrocarbons holding a carbon–carbon triple and double bond. However, we find that other factors come into play, namely, atomic radii, bonding orbital overlaps, and preferential location of the radical site. These doublet radical reactions with simple hydrocarbons play significant roles in extreme environments such as the interstellar medium and planetary atmospheres (CN, SiN and C2H), and combustion flames (C2H, BO).

Graphical abstract: The role of isovalency in the reactions of the cyano (CN), boron monoxide (BO), silicon nitride (SiN), and ethynyl (C2H) radicals with unsaturated hydrocarbons acetylene (C2H2) and ethylene (C2H4)

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
16 Sep 2013
First published
14 Jan 2014

Chem. Soc. Rev., 2014,43, 2701-2713

Author version available

The role of isovalency in the reactions of the cyano (CN), boron monoxide (BO), silicon nitride (SiN), and ethynyl (C2H) radicals with unsaturated hydrocarbons acetylene (C2H2) and ethylene (C2H4)

D. S. N. Parker, A. M. Mebel and R. I. Kaiser, Chem. Soc. Rev., 2014, 43, 2701 DOI: 10.1039/C3CS60328H

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