Kinetic and theoretical investigation of the gas-phase ozonolysis of isoprene: Carbonyl oxides as an important source for OH radicals in the atmosphere

Kinetic measurements as well as B3LYP/ and MP2/6-31G(d,p) calculations provide evidence that carbonyl oxides formed in the gas-phase ozonolysis of alkylated alkenes are an important source of OH radicals. In the gas-phase ozonolysis of propene, cis-2-butene, trans-2-butene, tetramethylethene, and isoprene, 18, 17, 24, 36, and 19% OH radicals (relative to reacted ozone, error margin less than or equal to 4%) are measured using CO as a scavenger for OH. The quantum chemical calculations show that OH radical production depends on syn positioned methyl (alkyl) groups and their interaction with the terminal O atom of a carbonyl oxide. For example, in the gas-phase ozonolysis of ethene only 5% OH radicals are measured while for a carbonyl oxide with syn-positioned methyl (alkyl) group, a much larger amount of OH radicals is formed. This is due to the fact that 1,4 H migration and the formation of an intermediate hydroperoxy alkene, that is prone to undergo OO bond cleavage, is energetically more favorable than isomerization to dioxirane. In the case of syn-methyl, dimethyl, and isopropenyl carbonyl oxide calculated activation enthalpies at 298 K are 14.8, 14.4, and 15.5 kcal/mol compared to the corresponding dioxirane isomerization barriers of 23.8, 21.4, and 23.0 kcal/mol, respectively. The OO cleavage reactions of the hydroperoxy alkenes formed in these cases are just 11, 12.8, and 10.3 kcal/mol.