Atmospheric chemistry of benzene oxide/oxepin
- 1 January 1997
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) in Journal of the Chemical Society, Faraday Transactions
- Vol. 93 (8) , 1507-1516
- https://doi.org/10.1039/a606152d
Abstract
The atmospheric chemistry of benzene oxide/oxepin, a possible intermediate in the atmospheric oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons, has been investigated in a large volume photoreactor at 298 K and atmospheric pressure using in situ FTIR spectroscopy for the analysis. Rate coefficients of (10.0±0.4)×10 -11 and (9.2±0.3)×10 -12 cm 3 molecule -1 s -1 have been determined for the reaction of benzene oxide/oxepin with OH and NO 3 radicals, respectively. Reaction with OH radicals produces almost exclusively the (E,Z)- and (E,E)-isomers of hexa-2,4-dienedial, whereas reaction with NO 3 produces (Z,Z)-hexa-2,4-dienedial and unidentified organic nitrates. Phenol has been observed as a major product of the thermal decomposition, visible and UV photolysis of benzene oxide/oxepin. The results are discussed in conjunction with the oxidation mechanisms of aromatic hydrocarbons. The major atmospheric sinks of benzene oxide/oxepin will be reaction with OH radicals and photolysis and, under smog chamber conditions with high NO 2 concentrations, also reaction with NO 3 .This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: