Enthalpy of formation of the cyclohexadienyl radical and the C-H bond enthalpy of 1,4-cyclohexadiene: an experimental and computational re-evaluation.

A quantitative understanding of the thermochemistry of cyclohexadienyl radical and 1,4-cyclohexadiene is beneficial for diverse areas of chemistry. Given the interest in these two species, it is surprising that more detailed thermodynamic data concerning the homolytic C-H bond enthalpies of such entities have not been forthcoming. We thus undertook an experimental and computational evaluation of (a) the enthalpy of formation of cyclohexadienyl radical (C(6)H(7)), (b) the homolytic C-H bond enthalpy of 1,4-cyclohexadiene (C(6)H(8)), and (c) the enthalpy of the addition of a hydrogen atom to benzene. Using laser photolysis experiments coupled with highly accurate ab initio quantum mechanical techniques, a newly recommended enthalpy of formation for C(6)H(7) is determined to be 208.0 +/- 3.9 kJ mol(-1), leading to a homolytic bond dissociation enthalpy of 321.7 +/- 2.9 kJ mol(-1), almost 9 kJ mol(-1) higher than previously determined enthalpies that used less certain experimental values for the C(6)H(7) enthalpy of formation.