Reaction of Singlet Oxygen with the Ethylene Group: Implications for Electrolyte Stability in Li-Ion and Li‑O2 Batteries

Recent experimental and computational evidence indicates that singlet oxygen (1O2) attacks the ethylene group (−CH2–CH2−) in ethylene carbonate (EC) leading to degradation in Li-ion batteries employing EC as the electrolyte solvent [J. Phys. Chem. A 2018, 122, 8828-8839]. Here, we employ computational quantum chemistry to explore this mechanism in detail for a large set of organic molecules. Benchmark calculations comparing density functional theory to the complete active space second-order perturbation theory and internally contracted multireference configuration interaction indicate that the M11 functional adequately captures trends in the transition-state energies for this mechanism. Based on our results, we recommend that solvents which include the ethylene group should be avoided in Li-ion and Li–O2 batteries where 1O2 is generated unless neighboring functional groups raise the reaction barrier to avoid this decomposition pathway.