Quasi-Classical Trajectory Study of the CN + NH3 Reaction Based on a Global Potential Energy Surface

Based on a combination of valence-bond and molecular mechanics functions which were fitted to high-level ab initio calculations, we constructed an analytical full-dimensional potential energy surface, named PES-2020, for the hydrogen abstraction title reaction for the first time. This surface is symmetrical with respect to the permutation of the three hydrogens in ammonia, it presents numerical gradients and it improves the description presented by previous theoretical studies. In order to analyze its quality and accuracy, stringent tests were performed, exhaustive kinetics and dynamics studies were carried out using quasi-classical trajectory calculations, and the results were compared with the available experimental evidence. Firstly, the properties (geometry, vibrational frequency and energy) of all stationary points were found to reasonably reproduce the ab initio information used as input; due to the complicated topology with deep wells in the entrance and exit channels and a “submerged” transition state, the description of the intermediate complexes was poorer, although it was adequate to reasonably simulate the kinetics and dynamics of the title reaction. Secondly, in the kinetics study, the rate constants simulated the experimental data in the wide temperature range of 25–700 K, improving the description presented by previous theoretical studies. In addition, while previous studies failed in the description of the kinetic isotope effects, our results reproduced the experimental information. Finally, in the dynamics study, we analyzed the role of the vibrational and rotational excitation of the CN(v,j) reactant and product angular scattering distribution. We found that vibrational excitation by one quantum slightly increased reactivity, thus reproducing the only experimental measurement, while rotational excitation strongly decreased reactivity. The scattering distribution presented a forward-backward shape, associated with the presence of deep wells along the reaction path. These last two findings await experimental confirmation.