Gas phase observation and microwave spectroscopic characterization of formic sulfuric anhydride

Rebecca B. Mackenzie; Christopher T. Dewberry; Kenneth R. Leopold

doi:10.1126/science.aaa9704

Gas phase observation and microwave spectroscopic characterization of formic sulfuric anhydride

Rebecca B. Mackenzie, Christopher T. Dewberry, Kenneth R. Leopold

Chemistry (Twin Cities)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

45 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report the observation of a covalently bound species, formic sulfuric anhydride (FSA), that is produced from formic acid and sulfur trioxide under supersonic jet conditions. FSA has been structurally characterized by means of microwave spectroscopy and further investigated by using density functional theory and ab initio calculations. Theory indicates that a π2 + π2 + σ2 cycloaddition reaction between SO₃ and HCOOH is a plausible pathway to FSA formation and that such a mechanism would be effectively barrierless. We speculate on the possible role that FSA may play in the Earth's atmosphere.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	58-61
Number of pages	4
Journal	Science
Volume	349
Issue number	6243
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa9704
State	Published - Jul 3 2015

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© 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science. All rights reserved.

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AU - Leopold, Kenneth R.

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AB - We report the observation of a covalently bound species, formic sulfuric anhydride (FSA), that is produced from formic acid and sulfur trioxide under supersonic jet conditions. FSA has been structurally characterized by means of microwave spectroscopy and further investigated by using density functional theory and ab initio calculations. Theory indicates that a π2 + π2 + σ2 cycloaddition reaction between SO3 and HCOOH is a plausible pathway to FSA formation and that such a mechanism would be effectively barrierless. We speculate on the possible role that FSA may play in the Earth's atmosphere.

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Gas phase observation and microwave spectroscopic characterization of formic sulfuric anhydride

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