Gas-Phase Kinetics of Hydroxyl Radical Reactions with Alkenes: Experiment and Theory

Reactions of the hydroxyl radical with propene and 1-butene are studied experimentally in the gas phase in a continuous supersonic flow reactor over the range 50 <= T/K <= 224. OH radicals are produced by pulsed laser photolysis of H2O2 at 266 nm in the supersonic flow and followed by laser-induced fluorescence in the (1, 0) A(2)Sigma(+) <- X-2 Pi(3/2) band at about 282 nm. These reactions are found to exhibit negative temperature dependences over the entire temperature range investigated, varying between (3.1-19.2) and (4.2-28.6) x 10(-11) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) for the reactions of OH with propene and 1-butene, respectively. Quantum chemical calculations of the potential energy surfaces are used as the basis for energy-and rotationally resolved Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus calculations to determine the rate constants over a range of temperatures and pressures. The negative temperature dependences of the rate constants are explained by competition between complex redissociation and passage to the adducts by using a model with two transition states. The results are compared and contrasted with earlier studies and discussed in terms of their potential relevance to the atmosphere of Saturn.