Direct Observation of Covalently Bound Clusters in Resonantly Stabilized Radical Reactions and Implications for Carbonaceous Particle Growth

Based on quantum mechanically guided experiments that observed elusive intermediates in the domain of inception that lies between large molecules and soot particles, we provide a new mechanism for the formation of carbonaceous particles from gas-phase molecular precursors. We investigated the clustering behavior of resonantly stabilized radicals (RSRs) and their interactions with unsaturated hydrocarbons through a combination of gas-phase reaction experiments and theoretical calculations. Our research directly observed a sequence of covalently bound clusters (CBCs) as key intermediates in the evolution from small RSRs, such as benzyl (C₇H₇), indenyl (C₉H₇), 1-methylnaphthyl (1-C₁₁H₉), and 2-methylnaphthyl (2-C₁₁H₉), to large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) consisting of 28 to 55 carbons. We found that hydrogen abstraction and RSR addition drive the formation and growth of CBCs, leading to progressive H-losses, the generation of large PAHs and PAH radicals, and the formation of white smoke (incipient carbonaceous particles). This mechanism of progressive H-losses from CBCs (PHLCBC) elucidates the crucial relationship among RSRs, CBCs, and PAHs, and this study provides an unprecedentedly seamless path of observed assembly from small RSRs to large nanoparticles. Understanding the PHLCBC mechanism over a wide temperature range may enhance the accuracy of multiscale models of soot formation, guide the synthesis of carbonaceous nanomaterials, and deepen our understanding of the origin and evolution of carbon within our galaxy.