Kinetic study of the vapour-phase reaction between aliphatic aldehydes and the nitrate radical

Vapour-phase rate coefficients for the reaction of the nitrate radical with seven aliphatic aldehydes have been determined at 298 +/- 2 K and 1013 +/- 10 mbar by the relative rate method using FTIR detection. The obtained rate coefficients, in units of 10(-14) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) and with 3 sigma statistical errors, are: propanal, 0.57 +/- 0.04; butanal, 1.09 +/- 0.08; pentanal, 1.46 +/- 0.09; hexanal, 1.73 +/- 0.18; 2-methylpropanal, 1.21 +/- 0.06; 2,2-dimethylpropanal, 2.29 +/- 0.09; and 3,3-dimethylbutanal, 2.00 +/- 0.14. The existing rate coefficients for NO3 and OH reactions with aldehydes are compared and it is suggested that the reaction between NO3 and aldehydes is not a simple hydrogen abstraction.