Atmospheric Chemistry of Ethyl Propionate

Atmospheric Degradation Mechanism of Isoamyl Acetate Initiated by OH Radicals and Cl Atoms Revealed by Quantum Chemical Calculations and Kinetic Modeling

Isoamyl acetate is one of the volatile organic compound class molecules relevant to agricultural and industrial applications. With the growing interest in isoamyl acetate applications in industry, the atmospheric fate of isoamyl acetate must be considered. Reaction mechanisms, potential energy profiles, and rate constants of isoamyl acetate reaction with atmospheric relevant oxidant OH radicals and Cl atoms have been obtained from the quantum chemical calculations and kinetic modeling. The geometry optimizations were conducted using M06-2X/6-311++G(3df,3pd) followed by single point-energy calculations at the DLPNO-CCSD(T) method with an extrapolated complete basis set. The rate constants were calculated by solving the master equation. A hydrogen-abstraction reaction dominates the first step of isoamyl acetate degradation, while the addition-substitution reaction plays a small role in the degradation products. The kinetic study was conducted to evaluate the rate constants within a temperature range of 200-400 K. The total rate constants for the isoamyl acetate degradation reactions initiated by the OH radical and Cl atom were determined to be 6.96 × 10-12 and 1.27 × 10-10 cm3 molecule-1 s-1, respectively, under standard temperature and pressure conditions. The product degradation mechanism, ozone formation potential, and atmospheric impacts were discussed.

Hydroxy esters atmospheric degradation: OH and Cl reactivity, products distribution and fate of the alkoxy radicals formed

Kinetic studies of the reaction of ethyl glycolate HOCH2C(O)OCH2CH3 with OH radicals (kOH) and Cl atoms (kCl) have been conducted by the relative method using a glass atmospheric reactor by "in situ" Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Gas Chromatography equipped with flame ionization detection by Solid Phase Micro Extraction (GC-FID/SPME) at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The following relative rate coefficients were determined using several reference compounds and two different techniques: kEG + OH-FTIR = (4.36 ± 1.21) × 10-12; kEG + OH-GC-FID= (3.90 ± 0.74) × 10-12; and kEG + Cl-GC-FID= (6.40 ± 0.72) × 10-11 all values in units of cm3.molecule-1.s-1. Complementary product studies were performed under comparable conditions to the kinetic tests, in order to identify the reaction products and to postulate their tropospheric oxidation mechanisms. The reaction of OH radicals and Cl atoms with ethyl glycolate initiates via H-atom abstraction from alkyl groups of the molecule. Formic acid was positively identified as a reaction product by FTIR. On the other hand, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, glycolic acid; and formic acid were identified by the GC-MS technique. The Structure-Activity Relationship, (SAR) calculations were also implemented to estimate the more favorable reaction pathways and compare them with the products identified. Tropospheric lifetimes of τOH = 34 h and τCl = 5.5 days were estimated to determine how these investigated reactions might affect the air quality. In this sense, average ozone production of [O3] = 0.75 and a Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential, POCP, of 38 were calculated for the hydroxyl ester studied.

Photooxidation Reactions of Ethyl 2-Methylpropionate (E2MP) and Ethyl 2,2-Dimethylpropionate (E22DMP) Initiated by OH Radicals: An Experimental and Computational Study

The relative rate (RR) technique was used for the measurement of OH-initiated photooxidation reactions of ethyl 2-methylpropionate (E2MP) and ethyl 2,2-dimethylpropionate (E22DMP) in the temperature range of 268-363 K at 760 Torr. In addition to this, the thermodynamic and kinetic parameters for the title reactions were theoretically investigated using CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ//M06-2X/6-311++G(2d,2p) level of theory in the temperature range of 200-400 K using canonical variational transition state theory (CVT) in combination with small curvature tunneling (SCT) method. The rate coefficients at (298 ± 2) K were measured to be k_E2MP+OH = (2.71 ± 0.79) × 10^-12 cm³ molecule^-1 s^-1 and k_E22DMP+OH = (2.58 ± 0.80) × 10^-12 cm³ molecule^-1 s^-1. The degradation mechanisms for the title reactions were investigated in the presence of O₂ using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography with infrared spectroscopy (GC-IR). From the recognized products, the possible product degradation mechanisms were predicted. In addition to this, the atmospheric lifetimes (ALs), lifetime-corrected radiative forcing (RF), global warming potential (GWPs) and photochemical ozone creation potentials (POCPs) were calculated to further understand the environmental impact of these molecules on the Earth's troposphere.

Cl Atoms and OH Radicals Initiated Kinetic and Mechanistic Study on the Degradation of Propyl Butanoate under Tropospheric Conditions

The reactivity of various OVOCs (mainly esters) in the troposphere leads to the generation of various organics, which in turn leads to an increase in the cloud acidity of the Earth's atmosphere. Hence, it becomes necessary to understand the mechanistic aspects of the reaction of these molecules with dominant atmospheric agents. In this study, the tropospheric degradation of one such ester, propyl butanoate (PB; CH₃CH₂CH₂COOCH₂CH₂CH₃) was studied with OH radicals and Cl atoms at the CCSD(T)//M06-2x/6-311+G(2d,2p) and CCSD(T)//BHandHLYP/6-311+G(2d,2p) level of theories over the studied temperature range of 200-400 K. The Arrhenius expressions obtained using the CVT/SCT/ISPE method were calculated as k_PB + Cl (200-400 K) = 1.3 × 10^-14 T^1.3 exp[1335/T] cm³ molecule^-1 s^-1 and k_PB + OH (200-400 K) = 1.8 × 10^-26 T^4.6 exp[4469/T] cm³ molecule^-1 s^-1. The obtained kinetics was also well validated against the SAR (structure-activity relationship)-based rate coefficients. The most prominent H-abstraction reaction channels were investigated for the PB + OH/Cl reaction. The abstraction of H atoms attached to the carbon atom present in the β-position to the ester (-C(O)O-) functionality was found to go via the lowest energy activation barriers for the reaction of PB toward both OH radicals and Cl atoms. The product degradation channels were also elucidated in an O₂/NO_x-rich environment. Moreover, to gauge the impact of the emitted PB on the troposphere, atmospheric lifetimes, radiative efficiencies, global warming potentials, and photochemical ozone creation potentials were also calculated and are included in the manuscript.

Investigation into reactions of methyl methacrylate and ethyl acrylate with chlorine atom

Reactions between chlorine and unsaturated esters in gas phase are examined in a slow-flow reaction tube inside the laboratory-built photoionization mass spectrometer at the energy range of 8-11 eV. 248 nm laser radiation is used to initiate the reaction. Products are distinguished, C₅H₈O₂Cl for addition, and C₅H₇O₂, C₅H₇O₂Cl and C₅H₉O₂Cl for abstraction. The direct or indirect products are detected, indicating secondary reactions. And experimental ionization potentials are procured for direct adducts of methyl methacrylate to be 8.30 eV and for that of ethyl acrylate to be 9.95 eV which are well consistent with theoretical ionization potentials of likely isomers. Theoretical reaction channels are also accounted for, optimized under M06-2X/6-31 + G(d,p) level and ionization potentials of products are calculated under M06-2X/6-31 + G(d,p) level also. Differences between experimental and theoretical details are discussed.

Role of (H2O) n (n = 1-2) in the Gas-Phase Reaction of Ethanol with Hydroxyl Radical: Mechanism, Kinetics, and Products

The effect of water on the hydrogen abstraction mechanism and product branching ratio of CH₃CH₂OH + ^•OH reaction has been investigated at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ//BH&HLYP/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory, coupled with the reaction kinetics calculations, implying the harmonic transition-state theory. Depending on the hydrogen sites in CH₃CH₂OH, the bared reaction proceeds through three elementary paths, producing CH₂CH₂OH, CH₃CH₂O, and CH₃CHOH and releasing a water molecule. Thermodynamic and kinetic results indicate that the formation of CH₃CHOH is favored over the temperature range of 216.7-425.0 K. With the inclusion of water, the reaction becomes quite complex, yielding five paths initiated by three channels. The products do not change compared with the bared reaction, but the preference for forming CH₃CHOH drops by up to 2%. In the absence of water, the room temperature rate coefficients for the formation of CH₂CH₂OH, CH₃CH₂O, and CH₃CHOH are computed to be 5.2 × 10^-13, 8.6 × 10^-14, and 9.0 × 10^-11 cm³ molecule^-1 s^-1, respectively. The effective rate coefficients of corresponding monohydrated and dihydrated reactions are 3-5 and 6-8 orders of magnitude lower than those of the unhydrated reaction, indicating that water has a decelerating effect on the studied reaction. Overall, the characterized effects of water on the thermodynamics, kinetics, and products of the CH₃CH₂OH + ^•OH reaction will facilitate the understanding of the fate of ethanol and secondary pollutants derived from it.

Reactions of Cl atoms with alkyl esters: kinetic, mechanism and atmospheric implications

Rate coefficients have been measured for the reaction of Cl atoms with a series of alkyl esters at 298 ± 2 K and atmospheric pressure in a large volume photoreactor using the relative kinetic technique. The kinetic data have been used in conjunction with other literature studies on the reactions of Cl atoms with esters to revise the existing values for ester substituent factors in a structure activity relationship (SAR) for Cl reactions. Product studies are reported for the reactions of Cl atoms with isopropyl ethanoate and methyl-2-methyl-propanoate under NO x -free conditions. These studies highlight the types of products that can be expected when oxidation occurs at R groups on the acyl (-C(O)OR) and oxy (RC(O)O-) sides of the ester functionality where R is a straight or branched chain alkyl entity. Possible atmospheric repercussions of the atmospheric chemistry of esters are considered.