Thermochemical properties of methyl-substituted cyclic alkyl ethers and radicals for oxiranes, oxetanes, and oxolanes: C-H bond dissociation enthalpy trends with ring size and ether site.

Cyclic ethers are an important product from the gas-phase reactions of hydrocarbon radicals with molecular oxygen in the atmospheric chemistry of diolefins and in low to moderate temperature combustion and oxidation reaction systems. They are also important in organic synthesis. Structures, and fundamental thermochemical parameters-enthalpy (ΔH°(f,298)), entropy (S°(298)), and heat capacity (C(p)(T))-have been calculated for a series of cyclic alkyl ethers and their carbon centered radicals.