Journal of Physical Chemistry A, Vol.123, No.5, 999-1006, 2019
Kinetics of the Methyl-Vinyl Radical + O-2 Reactions Associated with Propene Oxidation
The bimolecular rate coefficients of reactions CH3CCH2 + O-2 (1) and cis/trans-CH3CHCH + O-2 (2a/3a) have been measured using a tubular laminar flow reactor coupled with a photoionization mass spectrometer (PIMS). These reactions are relevant in the combustion of propene. Pulsed excimer laser photolysis of a ketone or a bromide precursor molecule at 193 or 248 nm wavelength was used to produce radicals of interest homogeneously along the reactor. Time-resolved experiments were performed under pseudo-first-order conditions at low pressure (0.3-1.5 Torr) over the temperature range 220-660 K. The measured bimolecular rate coefficients were found to be independent of bath gas concentration. The bimolecular rate coefficients possess negative temperature dependence at low temperatures (T < 420 K) and appear to be independent of temperature at high temperatures (T > 420 K). Observed products of the reaction CH3CCH2 + O-2 were CH3 and H2CO, while for the reaction cis/trans-CH3CHCH + O-2, observed products were CH3CHO and HCO. Current results indicate that the reaction mechanism of both reactions is analogous to that of C2H3 + O-2. Methyl substitution of the vinyl radical changes its reactivity toward O-2 upward by ca. 50% if it involves the alpha-position and downward by ca. 30% if the methyl group takes either of the beta-positions, respectively.