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Atmospheric chemistry of two biodiesel model compounds : Methyl propionate and ethyl acetate

Andersen, Vibeke F. ; Berhanu, Tesfaye A. ; Nilsson, Elna J K LU orcid ; Jørgensen, Solvejg ; Nielsen, Ole John ; Wallington, Timothy J. and Johnson, Matthew S. (2011) In The Journal of Physical Chemistry Part A: Molecules, Spectroscopy, Kinetics, Environment and General Theory 115(32). p.8906-8919
Abstract

The atmospheric chemistry of two C 4H 8O 2 isomers (methyl propionate and ethyl acetate) was investigated. With relative rate techniques in 980 mbar of air at 293 K the following rate constants were determined: k(C 2H 5C(O)OCH 3 + Cl) = (1.57 ± 0.23) × 10 -11, k(C 2H 5C(O) OCH 3 + OH) = (9.25 ± 1.27) × 10 -13, k(CH 3C(O)OC 2H 5 + Cl) = (1.76 ± 0.22) × 10 -11, and k(CH 3C(O)OC 2H 5 + OH) = (1.54 ± 0.22) × 10 -12 cm 3 molecule -1 s -1. The chlorine atom initiated oxidation of methyl propionate in 930... (More)

The atmospheric chemistry of two C 4H 8O 2 isomers (methyl propionate and ethyl acetate) was investigated. With relative rate techniques in 980 mbar of air at 293 K the following rate constants were determined: k(C 2H 5C(O)OCH 3 + Cl) = (1.57 ± 0.23) × 10 -11, k(C 2H 5C(O) OCH 3 + OH) = (9.25 ± 1.27) × 10 -13, k(CH 3C(O)OC 2H 5 + Cl) = (1.76 ± 0.22) × 10 -11, and k(CH 3C(O)OC 2H 5 + OH) = (1.54 ± 0.22) × 10 -12 cm 3 molecule -1 s -1. The chlorine atom initiated oxidation of methyl propionate in 930 mbar of N 2/O 2 diluent (with, and without, NO x) gave methyl pyruvate, propionic acid, acetaldehyde, formic acid, and formaldehyde as products. In experiments conducted in N 2 diluent the formation of CH 3CHClC(O)OCH 3 and CH 3CCl 2C(O)OCH 3 was observed. From the observed product yields we conclude that the branching ratios for reaction of chlorine atoms with the CH 3-, -CH 2-, and -OCH 3 groups are <49 ± 9%, 42 ± 7%, and >9 ± 2%, respectively. The chlorine atom initiated oxidation of ethyl acetate in N 2/O 2 diluent gave acetic acid, acetic acid anhydride, acetic formic anhydride, formaldehyde, and, in the presence of NO x, PAN. From the yield of these products we conclude that at least 41 ± 6% of the reaction of chlorine atoms with ethyl acetate occurs at the -CH 2- group. The rate constants and branching ratios for reactions of OH radicals with methyl propionate and ethyl acetate were investigated theoretically using transition state theory. The stationary points along the oxidation pathways were optimized at the CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ//BHandHLYP/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory. The reaction of OH radicals with ethyl acetate was computed to occur essentially exclusively (∼99%) at the -CH 2- group. In contrast, both methyl groups and the -CH 2- group contribute appreciably in the reaction of OH with methyl propionate. Decomposition via the α-ester rearrangement (to give C 2H 5C(O)OH and a HCO radical) and reaction with O 2 (to give CH 3CH 2C(O)OC(O)H) are competing atmospheric fates of the alkoxy radical CH 3CH 2C(O)OCH 2O. Chemical activation of CH 3CH 2C(O)OCH 2O radicals formed in the reaction of the corresponding peroxy radical with NO favors the α-ester rearrangement.

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publishing date
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Contribution to journal
publication status
published
in
The Journal of Physical Chemistry Part A: Molecules, Spectroscopy, Kinetics, Environment and General Theory
volume
115
issue
32
pages
14 pages
publisher
The American Chemical Society (ACS)
external identifiers
  • pmid:21797203
  • scopus:80051706750
ISSN
1089-5639
DOI
10.1021/jp204819d
language
English
LU publication?
no
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f368a8fb-4fd5-4aa8-8ce1-d7979d18a912
date added to LUP
2016-10-04 10:32:37
date last changed
2024-07-12 17:29:48
@article{f368a8fb-4fd5-4aa8-8ce1-d7979d18a912,
  abstract     = {{<p>The atmospheric chemistry of two C <sub>4</sub>H <sub>8</sub>O <sub>2</sub> isomers (methyl propionate and ethyl acetate) was investigated. With relative rate techniques in 980 mbar of air at 293 K the following rate constants were determined: k(C <sub>2</sub>H <sub>5</sub>C(O)OCH <sub>3</sub> + Cl) = (1.57 ± 0.23) × 10 <sup>-11</sup>, k(C <sub>2</sub>H <sub>5</sub>C(O) OCH <sub>3</sub> + OH) = (9.25 ± 1.27) × 10 <sup>-13</sup>, k(CH <sub>3</sub>C(O)OC <sub>2</sub>H <sub>5</sub> + Cl) = (1.76 ± 0.22) × 10 <sup>-11</sup>, and k(CH <sub>3</sub>C(O)OC <sub>2</sub>H <sub>5</sub> + OH) = (1.54 ± 0.22) × 10 <sup>-12</sup> cm <sup>3</sup> molecule <sup>-1</sup> s <sup>-1</sup>. The chlorine atom initiated oxidation of methyl propionate in 930 mbar of N <sub>2</sub>/O <sub>2</sub> diluent (with, and without, NO <sub>x</sub>) gave methyl pyruvate, propionic acid, acetaldehyde, formic acid, and formaldehyde as products. In experiments conducted in N <sub>2</sub> diluent the formation of CH <sub>3</sub>CHClC(O)OCH <sub>3</sub> and CH <sub>3</sub>CCl <sub>2</sub>C(O)OCH <sub>3</sub> was observed. From the observed product yields we conclude that the branching ratios for reaction of chlorine atoms with the CH <sub>3</sub>-, -CH <sub>2</sub>-, and -OCH <sub>3</sub> groups are &lt;49 ± 9%, 42 ± 7%, and &gt;9 ± 2%, respectively. The chlorine atom initiated oxidation of ethyl acetate in N <sub>2</sub>/O <sub>2</sub> diluent gave acetic acid, acetic acid anhydride, acetic formic anhydride, formaldehyde, and, in the presence of NO <sub>x</sub>, PAN. From the yield of these products we conclude that at least 41 ± 6% of the reaction of chlorine atoms with ethyl acetate occurs at the -CH <sub>2</sub>- group. The rate constants and branching ratios for reactions of OH radicals with methyl propionate and ethyl acetate were investigated theoretically using transition state theory. The stationary points along the oxidation pathways were optimized at the CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ//BHandHLYP/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory. The reaction of OH radicals with ethyl acetate was computed to occur essentially exclusively (∼99%) at the -CH <sub>2</sub>- group. In contrast, both methyl groups and the -CH <sub>2</sub>- group contribute appreciably in the reaction of OH with methyl propionate. Decomposition via the α-ester rearrangement (to give C <sub>2</sub>H <sub>5</sub>C(O)OH and a HCO radical) and reaction with O <sub>2</sub> (to give CH <sub>3</sub>CH <sub>2</sub>C(O)OC(O)H) are competing atmospheric fates of the alkoxy radical CH <sub>3</sub>CH <sub>2</sub>C(O)OCH <sub>2</sub>O. Chemical activation of CH <sub>3</sub>CH <sub>2</sub>C(O)OCH <sub>2</sub>O radicals formed in the reaction of the corresponding peroxy radical with NO favors the α-ester rearrangement.</p>}},
  author       = {{Andersen, Vibeke F. and Berhanu, Tesfaye A. and Nilsson, Elna J K and Jørgensen, Solvejg and Nielsen, Ole John and Wallington, Timothy J. and Johnson, Matthew S.}},
  issn         = {{1089-5639}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{08}},
  number       = {{32}},
  pages        = {{8906--8919}},
  publisher    = {{The American Chemical Society (ACS)}},
  series       = {{The Journal of Physical Chemistry Part A: Molecules, Spectroscopy, Kinetics, Environment and General Theory}},
  title        = {{Atmospheric chemistry of two biodiesel model compounds : Methyl propionate and ethyl acetate}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jp204819d}},
  doi          = {{10.1021/jp204819d}},
  volume       = {{115}},
  year         = {{2011}},
}