Study of the Reaction ClO + CH3O2 --> Products at 300 K

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/j100360a017

The first experimental study of the reaction ClO + CH3O2 --> products (1) is reported.The rate coefficient k₁ and the product distribution were investigated in the modulated photolysis of Cl2/CH4/Cl2O/O2 mixtures.Reactants and products have been monitored by using UV-vis and Fourier-transform infrared gas-phase absorption spectroscopies.The value of k₁ was found to be equal to (3.1 +/- 1.7)E-12 cm³ molecule^-1 s^-1 at 300 K and 240 Torr total pressure.The product channnel forming ClOO and CH3O appears to be dominant pathway at 300 K.The subsequent oxidation of CH3O to CH2O and its partial photolysis into H and HCO leads to enhanced production of odd hydrogen (OH, HO2) radicals.Consequently, high concentrations of OH radicals can built up, leading to an additional source of active chlorine via the reaction HCl + OH --> Cl + H2O, which destroys ozone by catalytic reactions.This strongly suggests that reaction 1 can play a substantial role in the photochemical processes that take place under stratospheric "ozone hole" conditions.