Triplet State Radical Chemistry: Significance of the Reaction of 3SO2 with HCOOH and HNO3

The triplet excited states of sulfur dioxide can be accessed in the UV region and have a lifetime large enough that they can react with atmospheric trace gases. In this work, we report high level ab initio calculations for the reaction of the a3B1 and b3A2 excited states of SO2 with weak and strong acidic species such as HCOOH and HNO3, aimed to extend the chemistry reported in previous studies with nonacidic H atoms (water and alkanes). The reactions investigated in this work are very versatile and follow different kinds of mechanisms, namely, proton-coupled electron transfer (pcet) and conventional hydrogen atom transfer (hat) mechanisms. The study provides new insights into a general and very important class of excited-state-promoted reactions, opening up interesting chemical perspectives for technological applications of photoinduced H-transfer reactions. It also reveals that atmospheric triplet chemistry is more significant than previously thought.

H2CO3→ CO2+ H2O decomposition in the presence of H2O, HCOOH, CH3COOH, H2SO4and HO2radical: instability of the gas-phase H2CO3molecule in the troposphere and lower stratosphere

Carbonic acid decomposition of potential atmospheric significance.

Solubility of acetic acid and trifluoroacetic acid in low-temperature (207-245 k) sulfuric acid solutions: implications for the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere

The solubility of gas-phase acetic acid (CH(3)COOH, HAc) and trifluoroacetic acid (CF(3)COOH, TFA) in aqueous sulfuric acid solutions was measured in a Knudsen cell reactor over ranges of temperature (207-245 K) and acid composition (40-75 wt %, H(2)SO(4)). For both HAc and TFA, the effective Henry's law coefficient, H*, is inversely dependent on temperature. Measured values of H* for TFA range from 1.7 × 10(3) M atm(-1) in 75.0 wt % H(2)SO(4) at 242.5 K to 3.6 × 10(8) M atm(-1) in 40.7 wt % H(2)SO(4) at 207.8 K. Measured values of H* for HAc range from 2.2 × 10(5) M atm(-1) in 57.8 wt % H(2)SO(4) at 245.0 K to 3.8 × 10(8) M atm(-1) in 74.4 wt % H(2)SO(4) at 219.6 K. The solubility of HAc increases with increasing H(2)SO(4) concentration and is higher in strong sulfuric acid than in water. In contrast, the solubility of TFA decreases with increasing sulfuric acid concentration. The equilibrium concentration of HAc in UT/LS aerosol particles is estimated from our measurements and is found to be up to several orders of magnitude higher than those determined for common alcohols and small carbonyl compounds. On the basis of our measured solubility, we determine that HAc in the upper troposphere undergoes aerosol partitioning, though the role of H(2)SO(4) aerosol particles as a sink for HAc in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere will only be discernible under high atmospheric sulfate perturbations.

Experimental evidence for the pressure dependence of the reaction rate constant between acetic acid and hydroxyl radicals

The reaction rate constant of acetic acid with the hydroxyl radical is measured at 93 Torr with our high-pressure flow system (HPFS) and found to display a negative temperature dependence that can be described by the Arrhenius expression, k(T) = (2.44 ± 0.22) × 10(-14) exp ((1027 ± 24)/T)) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1). Compared with our previously reported 7 Torr data, we find a noticeable pressure dependence. This dependence is observed to increase with decreasing temperature. This finding is consistent with a termolecular reaction mechanism. It is the first experimental evidence of the pressure dependence for this rate constant. A kinetics model is constructed, and the model results agree qualitatively with our experimental data. The extrapolated rate constant of the title reaction would be faster than previously believed at conditions of the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere, suggesting that the importance of acetic acid in its impact on HO(x) chemistry is currently underestimated.

Uptake of Organic Acids on Ice Surfaces: Evidence for Surface Modification and Hydrate Formation

The uptake of gaseous HC(O)OH, CH3 C(O)OH and CF3C(O)OH on ice films at temperatures corresponding to the upper troposphere (UT) has been investigated using a coated-wall flow tube with mass spectrometric measurement of gas concentration. Uptake was largely reversible and followed Langmuir-type kinetic behavior, i.e. surface coverage increased with trace gas concentration approaching a maximum surface coverage at N max ~2 to 3×1014 molecules cm−3, corresponding to ~25% monolayer (ML). The partition constants, KLinC , were obtained from the experimental data by analysis using the simple Langmuir model and also using a simple one-dimensional numerical model to simulate individual uptake profiles and retrieve partition constants for specific conditions of temperature and concentration, over the temperature range 208–238 K. The analysis showed that Langmuir constants decreased at high surface coverages, possibly due to adsorbate-adsorbate interaction or modification of the ice surface. At low coverage, the following expressions described the temperature dependence of the partition coefficients (KLinC) for HC(O)OH (KLinC = (1.5±3.5 1.0)×10−8exp((5143±268)/T) cm), for CH3 C(O)OH (KLinC = (0.55±5.4 0.5)×10−8exp((5703±536)/T) cm), and CF3C(O)OH (KLinC = (512±1903 404)×10−8exp((309±331)/T) cm). For CF3C(O)OH there was an irreversible component of uptake, which was attributed to hydrate formation on the surface.

Experimental and Theoretical Studies of the Kinetics of the Reactions of OH Radicals with Acetic Acid, Acetic Acid-d3 and Acetic Acid-d4 at Low Pressure

The kinetics of the reactions of OH with acetic acid, acetic acid-d3 and acetic acid-d4 were studied from 2 to 5 Torr and 263-373 K using a discharge flow system with resonance fluorescence detection of the OH radical. The measured rate constants at 300 K for the reaction of OH with acetic acid and acetic acid-d4 (CD3C(O)OD) were (7.42+/-0.12)x10(-13) and (1.09+/-0.18)x10(-13) cm3 molecule-1 s-1 respectively, and the rate constant for the reaction of OH with acetic acid-d3 (CD3C(O)OH) was (7.79+/-0.16)x10(-13) cm3 molecule-1 s-1. These results suggest that the primary mechanism for this reaction involves abstraction of the acidic hydrogen. Theoretical calculations of the kinetic isotope effect as a function of temperature are in good agreement with the experimental measurements using a mechanism involving the abstraction of the acidic hydrogen through a hydrogen-bonded complex. The rate constants for the OH+acetic acid and OH+acetic acid-d4 reactions display a negative temperature dependence described by the Arrhenius equations kH(T)=(2.52+/-1.22)x10(-14) exp((1010+/-150)/T) and kD(T)=(4.62+/-1.33)x10(-16) exp((1640+/-160)/T) cm3 molecule-1 s-1 for acetic acid and acetic acid-d4, respectively, consistent with recent measurements that suggest that the lifetime of acetic acid at the low temperatures of the upper troposphere is shorter than previously believed.

Mechanism of the OH-Initiated Oxidation of Hydroxyacetone over the Temperature Range 236−298 K

The mechanism of the gas-phase reaction of OH radicals with hydroxyacetone (CH3C(O)CH2OH) was studied at 200 Torr over the temperature range 236-298 K in a turbulent flow reactor coupled to a chemical ionization mass-spectrometer. The product yields and kinetics were measured in the presence of O2 to simulate the atmospheric conditions. The major stable product at all temperatures is methylglyoxal. However, its yield decreases from 82% at 298 K to 49% at 236 K. Conversely, the yields of formic and acetic acids increase from about 8% to about 20%. Other observed products were formaldehyde, CO2 and peroxy radicals HO2 and CH3C(O)O2. A partial re-formation of OH radicals (by approximately 10% at 298 K) was found in the OH + hydroxyacetone + O2 chemical system along with a noticeable inverse secondary kinetic isotope effect (k(OH)/k(OD) = 0.78 +/- 0.10 at 298 K). The observed product yields are explained by the increasing role of the complex formed between the primary radical CH3C(O)CHOH and O2 at low temperature. The rate constant of the reaction CH3C(O)CHOH + O2 --> CH3C(O)CHO + HO2 at 298 K, (3.0 +/- 0.6) x 10(-12) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1), was estimated by computer simulation of the concentration-time profiles of the CH3C(O)CHO product. The detailed mechanism of the OH-initiated oxidation of hydroxyacetone can help to better describe the atmospheric oxidation of isoprene, in particular, in the upper troposphere.

Kinetics of α-Hydroxy-alkylperoxyl Radicals in Oxidation Processes. HO2•-Initiated Oxidation of Ketones/Aldehydes near the Tropopause

A comparative theoretical study is presented on the formation and decomposition of alpha-hydroxy-alkylperoxyl radicals, Q(OH)OO* (Q = RR'C:), important intermediates in the oxidation of several classes of oxygenated organic compounds in atmospheric chemistry, combustion, and liquid-phase autoxidation of hydrocarbons. Detailed potential energy surfaces (PESs) were computed for the HOCH2O2* <==>HO2* + CH2O reaction and its analogues for the alkyl-substituted RCH(OH)OO* and R2C(OH)OO* and the cyclic cyclo-C6H10(OH)OO*. The state-of-the-art ab initio methods G3 and CBS-QB3 and a nearly converged G2M//B3LYP-DFT variant were found to give quasi-identical results. On the basis of the G2M//B3LYP-DFT PES, the kinetics of the approximately equal to 15 kcal/mol endothermal alpha-hydroxy-alkylperoxyl decompositions and of the reverse HO2*+ ketone/aldehyde reactions were evaluated using multiconformer transition state theory. The excellent agreement with the available experimental (kinetic) data validates our methodologies. Contrary to current views, HO2* is found to react as fast with ketones as with aldehydes. The high forward and reverse rates are shown to lead to a fast Q(OH)OO* <==>HO2* + carbonyl quasi-equilibrium. The sizable [Q(OH)OO*]/[carbonyl] ratios predicted for formaldehyde, acetone, and cyclo-hexanone at the low temperatures (below 220 K) of the earth's tropopause are shown to result in efficient removal of these carbonyls through fast subsequent Q(OH)OO* reactions with NO and HO2*. IMAGES model calculations indicate that at the tropical tropopause the HO2*-initiated oxidation of formaldehyde and acetone may account for 30% of the total removal of these major atmospheric carbonyls, thereby also substantially affecting the hydroxyl and hydroperoxyl radical budgets and contributing to the production of formic and acetic acids in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. On the other hand, an RRKM-master equation analysis shows that hot alpha-hydroxy-alkylperoxyls formed by the addition of O(2) to C(1)-, C(2)-, and C(3)-alpha-hydroxy-alkyl radicals will quasi-uniquely fragment to HO2* plus the carbonyl under all atmospheric conditions.

Tropopause Chemistry Revisited: HO2•-Initiated Oxidation as an Efficient Acetone Sink

Acetone is known to be a key species in the chemistry of the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere. In this theoretical study, using amply validated methodologies, the hitherto overlooked reaction of acetone with HO2* radicals is found to lead to a fast equilibrium (CH3)2C=O + HO2* right harpoon over left harpoon (CH3)2C(OH)OO*. At room temperature, this is shifted entirely to the left and thus of no consequence. However, near the tropopause (T </= 220 K), the equilibrium is shown to shift to the right to such an extent that the subsequent reaction of (CH3)2C(OH)OO* with (partly air-traffic-generated) NO becomes an effective acetone sink. This process finally results in acetic acid, thus explaining the great abundance of this important organic acid observed near the tropopause.