Hybrid density functional theory with specific reaction parameter: Hydrogen abstraction reaction of fluoromethane by the hydroxyl radical

Three potential energy surfaces with specific reaction parameters are developed and tested for the OH + CH3F -> H2O+CH2F reaction. The goal of this work is to determine surfaces that provide calculated reaction rate constants that are comparable to the experimental data. The potential energy surfaces are constructed using hybrid and hybrid meta density functional theory methods, and the levels of electronic structure theory used in this study are mPW1PW91, B1B95, and mPW1B95 in conjunction with the 6-31+G(d,p) basis set. The reaction rate constants are calculated over the range 200-1500 K using variational transition state theory with multidimensional tunneling contributions. New specific-reaction-parameter Hartree-Fock contributions are determined, and the hybrid density functional theory methods with these new contributions (35.5 +/- 1.2% for mPW1PW91, 36.6 +/- 1.2% for B1B95, and 40.7 +/- 1.2% for mPW1B95, respectively) reproduce accurate rate constants over an extended temperature range. On these potential energy surfaces, the classical barrier height for the hydrogen abstraction reaction is determined to be 3.4-3.8 kcal/mol, with a best estimate value of 3.6 kcal/mol.