Quantum chemical and RRKM/master equation studies of isoprene ozonolysis: Methacrolein and methacrolein oxide

Methacrolein is a major product of isoprene ozonolysis, and methacrolein oxide is an important ozonolysis intermediate. We use CBS-QB3 and RRKM/master equation calculations to characterize all methacrolein formation pathways and all the unimolecular reactions of methacrolein oxide. Our predicted methacrolein yield agrees with experiment if we assume that all of the dioxirane formed from methacrolein oxide decomposes to methacrolein. The vinyl group of methacrolein oxide allows the species to cyclize to a dioxole with a reaction barrier lower than the barriers to either hydroperoxide or dioxirane formation. Two dioxole derivatives, 1,2-epoxy-2-methyl-3-propanal and 2-methyl-3-oxopropanal, should be measurable products of isoprene ozonolysis.

Computational studies of isoprene ozonolysis have revealed that the lowest barrier pathway for methacrolein oxide is cyclization to the dioxole.