THE PHOTOOXIDATION OF DIETHYL-ETHER IN SMOG CHAMBER EXPERIMENTS SIMULATING TROPOSPHERIC CONDITIONS - PRODUCT STUDIES AND PROPOSED MECHANISM

The products formed by the hydroxyl radical initiated photo-oxidation of diethyl ether have been investigated by irradiating synthetic air mixtures containing diethyl ether and nitrous acid in amounts approaching ppbv levels in a smog chamber. The decay of reactants and formation of products were monitored by gas chromatography, HPLC, and by chemiluminescent analysis. The major products are ethyl formate and formaldehyde, minor products include ethyl acetate, acetaldehyde, peroxyacetyl nitrate, methyl nitrate, and ethyl nitrate. The products observed arise from the decomposition reactions of the 1-ethoxyethoxy radical and its reaction with oxygen. One molecule of nitric oxide appears to be oxidized per molecule of diethyl ether reacted. This is lower than would be expected on the basis of the proposed mechanism and possible reasons for the discrepancy are discussed. (C) 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.