Alkylphenols, which consist of a phenolic ring attached to an alkyl chain, are widely used in industrial processes and consumer products, including food-contact materials such as plastic containers. Their broad application raises concerns regarding human exposure and environmental impact. In this work, density functional theory (DFT) was employed to investigate the electronic structure and chemical reactivity of alkylphenols using different DFT functionals. The key molecular descriptors, including ionization energy, electron affinity, HOMO–LUMO gap, and global reactivity parameters, were systematically evaluated. Excited-state properties and UV–Vis absorption spectra were further examined through time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT). The potential of NO as a reagent ion was also explored through charge transfer and H abstraction reactions. Benchmark DFT calculations confirm that B3LYP/6-311++G(d, p) is well-suited for ground-state studies, and further evaluations demonstrate that NO readily undergoes exothermic charge transfer with alkylphenols, proceeding at collision-controlled rates. In contrast, hydride abstraction is endothermic, and association pathways are not favorable. These findings underscore the potential of NO-based chemical ionization mass spectrometry (CIMS) techniques, such as PTR-MS and SIFT-MS, for the sensitive detection and quantification of alkylphenols. Overall, this comprehensive computational study provides valuable insights into the stability, reactivity, and photophysical behavior of alkylphenols, advancing their identification in both environmental monitoring and human health risk assessments.
扫码关注我们
求助内容:
应助结果提醒方式:
