Kinetics of the Reaction between Methyl Radicals and Oxygen Atoms between 294 and 900 K

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/j100300a032

The kinetics of the reaction of methyl radicals with oxygen atoms has been investigated in a heatable tubular reactor coupled to a photoionization mass spectrometer.The reactants (CH3 and O(³P)) were generated homogeneously in the reactor by the simultaneous in situ photolysis of acetone and SO2.Initial conditions were always chosen to yield /₀ > 20.The decay of CH3 was monitored as a function of to yield rate constants fot the reaction O + CH3 -> H2CO + H at five temperatures between 294 and 900 K.The rate constant was found to be independent of temperature, having a value 1.4E-10 cm³ molecule^-1 s^-1, and also independent of density in the range used in this study, (3-24)E16 molecule cm^-3.The mechanism was verified by direct observations of H2CO production.The new experimental method, which can be used to investigate many reactions of oxygen atoms with free radicals, is described in detail.