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The mechanism of C-H bond activation of ethane was catalyzed by palladium halide cations (PdX+ (X = F, Cl, Br, H, and CH3)), which was investigated using density functional theory (DFT) at B3LYP level. The reaction mechanism was taken into account in triplet and singlet spin state potential energy surfaces. For PdF+, PdCl+, and PdBr+, the high spin states were the ground states, whereas the ground states were the low spin states in PdH+ and PdCH3+. The reaction of PdF+, PdCl+, and PdBr+ with ethane occurred via a typical "two-state reactivity" mechanism. In contrast, for PdH+ and PdCH3+, the overall reaction performed on the ground state PESs in a spin-conserving manner. The crossing points between two potential energy surfaces were observed and effectively decreased the activation barrier in PdX+/C2H6 (X = F, Cl, and Br). The minimum energy crossing points (MECP) were obtained used the algorithm in Harvey method. The natural valence electron configuration calculations were analyzed by natural bond orbital. The distribution and contribution of the front molecular orbital of the initial complexes could be further understand by the density of states. The feature of the bonding evolution in the main pathways was studied using topological analysis including localized orbital locator and atoms in molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) have been carried out to investigate geometries and bonding characteristics of all the stationary points associated with the gas-phase ion/molecule reactions of YNH+ (1∑+) with propene. The potential energy surface (PES), including six reaction pathways (four dehydrogenation and two demethanation processes), has been explored and analyzed. By contrast, dehydrogenation reaction channels that are associated with two consecutive hydrogen transfers from C atoms of propene fragment to Y atom of YNH+ moiety and then elimination of H2, are energetically favorable, which is in good agreement with the experimental observation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]