A Force Field for Poly(oxymethylene) Dimethyl Ethers (OMEn)
A united atom force field for the homologous series of the poly(oxymethylene)dimethyl ethers (OMEn): H3C–O–(CH2O)n–CH3, is presented. OMEn are oxygenatesand promising new synthetic fuels and solvents. The molecular geometry of the OMEn,the internal degrees of freedom and their electrostatic properties were obtained fromquantum mechanical calculations. To model repulsion and dispersion, Lennard-Jonesparameters were fitted to the experimental liquid densities and vapour pressures of pureOMEn (n “ 1 - 4). The critical properties of OMEn (n “ 1 - 4) were determined fromthe simulation data. Additionally, the shear viscosity of pure liquid OMEn is evaluatedand compared with literature data. Finally, the solubility of CO2 in OME2, OME3and OME4 is predicted using a literature model for CO2 and the Lorentz-Berthelotcombining rules. The results agree well with experimental data from the literature.