•OH reactions with aliphatic alcohols:: evaluation of kinetics by direct optical absorption measurement.: A pulse radiolysis study

The kinetics of the reactions of hydroxyl radicals with aliphatic alcohols in aqueous solution were studied using pulse radiolysis. Based on the optical absorption observed in the UV region, the rate constants for the reaction of hydroxyl radicals with methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol and tert-butyl alcohol were determined to be 9.0 x 10(8), 2.2 x 10(9), 2.0 x 10(9) and 6.2 x 10(8) dm(3) mol(-1) s(-1), respectively. The values obtained here by direct observation of the alcohol radicals basically confirm the values which were earlier determined indirectly by competition. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.