GAS-PHASE REACTIONS OF AZULENE WITH OH AND NO3 RADICALS AND O-3 AT 298 +/- 2-K

Azulene, which is isomeric with naphthalene, was studied to determine whether it behaves like a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon or an alkene in its gas-phase reactions with OH and NO3 radicals and O3. Using relative rate methods, rate constants for the reactions of azulene with OH and NO3 radicals and O3 of (2.73 +/- 0.56) x 10(-10) cm3 molecule-1 s-1, (3.9(-1.4)+2.0) x 10(-10) cm3 molecule-1 s-1, and < 7 x 10(-17) cm3 molecule-1 s-1, respectively, were obtained at 298 +/- 2 K. The observation that the NO3 radical reaction did not involve NO2 in the rate determining step indicates that azulene behaves more like an alkene than a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon in this reaction. No conclusive evidence for the formation of nitroazulene(s) from either the OH or NO3 radical-initiated reaction of azulene (in the presence of NO(x)) was obtained.