Epoxides
have many primary and secondary atmospheric sources. As
with other oxygenates, they exhibit a complex temperature-dependent
reaction with OH, whose full description is necessary in order to
understand their interactions in atmospheric and combustion environments.
We measured the kinetics of the title reaction using two complementary
absolute methods: pulsed-laser photolysis–laser-induced fluorescence
(PLP–LIF) and a discharge-flow mass spectrometric system (DF-MS),
both monitoring temporal decays in OH. In addition, two relative methods
employing the DF-MS as a function of temperature as well as several
simulation chamber experiments at room temperature were performed.
A very weak negative temperature dependence was observed at T ≤ 285 K, and only through the combination of precise
data and a large temperature range were we able to discern the transition
toward positive temperature dependence found at T ≥ 295 K. The non-Arrhenius temperature dependence of OH +
1,2-epoxybutane implies the agency of prereactive complexes in this
reaction mechanism, albeit with a smaller effect than that with its
acyclic ether analogues. This will have implications for understanding
the chemical fate of epoxides within oxidizing environments.
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