Atmospheric chemistry of isopropyl formate and tert‐butyl formate

Formates are produced in the atmosphere as a result of the oxidation of a number of species, notably dialkyl ethers and vinyl ethers. This work describes experiments to define the oxidation mechanisms of isopropyl formate, HC(O)OCH(CH₃)₂, and tert‐butyl formate, HC(O)OC(CH₃)₃. Product distributions are reported from both Cl‐ and OH‐initiated oxidation, and reaction mechanisms are proposed to account for the observed products. The proposed mechanisms include examples of the α‐ester rearrangement reaction, novel isomerization pathways, and chemically activated intermediates. The atmospheric oxidation of isopropyl formate by OH radicals gives the following products (molar yields): acetic formic anhydride (43%), acetone (43%), and HCOOH (15–20%). The OH radical initiated oxidation of tert‐butyl formate gives acetone, formaldehyde, and CO₂ as major products. IR absorption cross sections were derived for two acylperoxy nitrates derived from the title compounds. Rate coefficients are derived for the kinetics of the reactions of isopropyl formate with OH (2.4 ± 0.6) × 10^?12, and with Cl (1.75 ± 0.35) × 10^?11, and for tert‐butyl formate with Cl (1.45 ± 0.30) × 10^?11 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. Simple group additivity rules fail to explain the observed distribution of sites of H‐atom abstraction for simple formates. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 42: 479–498, 2010     

Atmospheric oxidation of reduced sulfur species

The kinetics of elementary gas phase reactions involved in the oxidation of reduced sulfur species, H₂S, CS₂, OCS, CH₃SH, CH₃SCH₃, and CH₃SSCH₃, to SO₂ (or other products) are reviewed. The reactions with OH and NO₃ which are the processes that initiate the degradation of the above compounds have been evaluated. Reactions of key intermediates, HS, HSO, CH₃S, and CH₃SO, are discussed. Whenever possible, recommendations for the rate coefficients are made and the need for further work indicated. The review has been carried out with the atmospheric chemistry in mind by looking at the laboratory based kinetics data. This review also provides information that will help model the Earth's sulfur cycle.     

MRI effects on the teratogenicity of x-irradiation in the C57BL/6J mouse

This investigation was undertaken in order to ascertain the combined effects of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) fields and x-irradiation on the developing eye of the mouse strain C57B1/6J. Dams in groups of 15 were subjected to absorbed doses of 5, 15, and 30 cGy. Other dams (N = 15) were exposed to T2 spin-echo MRI fields under clinically realistic conditions following exposure to 30 cGy of x-irradiation. The developing eye was the biological end point studied. It was found that the 30-cGy dose resulted in teratogenic significance (p less than or equal to .05) for the C57B1/6J mouse. Groups exposed to both types of radiation fields demonstrated malformation levels similar to the 30-cGy irradiated animals with no additive or synergistic effects detected. The malformation rates and degree of statistical significance varied somewhat with unit of measurement, and analytical method. The results confirmed low level X-ray teratogenicity and suggested that the MRI techniques employed for this investigation did not enhance the teratogenicity of x-irradiation on eye malformations produced in the C57B1/6J mouse.     

Rate coefficients and mechanisms of the reaction of cl‐atoms with a series of unsaturated hydrocarbons under atmospheric conditions

Rate coefficients and/or mechanistic information are provided for the reaction of Cl‐atoms with a number of unsaturated species, including isoprene, methacrolein ( MACR ), methyl vinyl ketone ( MVK ), 1,3‐butadiene, trans‐2‐butene, and 1‐butene. The following Cl‐atom rate coefficients were obtained at 298 K near 1 atm total pressure: k(isoprene) = (4.3 ± 0.6) × 10^?10cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 (independent of pressure from 6.2 to 760 Torr); k( MVK ) = (2.2 ± 0.3) × 10^?10 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1; k( MACR ) = (2.4 ± 0.3) × 10^?10 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1; k(trans‐2‐butene) = (4.0 ± 0.5) × 10^?10 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1; k(1‐butene) = (3.0 ± 0.4) × 10^?10 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. Products observed in the Cl‐atom‐initiated oxidation of the unsaturated species at 298 K in 1 atm air are as follows (with % molar yields in parentheses): CH₂O (9.5 ± 1.0%), HCOCl (5.1 ± 0.7%), and 1‐chloro‐3‐methyl‐3‐buten‐2‐one (CMBO, not quantified) from isoprene; chloroacetaldehyde (75 ± 8%), CO₂ (58 ± 5%), CH₂O (47 ± 7%), CH₃OH (8%), HCOCl (7 ± 1%), and peracetic acid (6%) from MVK ; CO (52 ± 4%), chloroacetone (42 ± 5%), CO₂ (23 ± 2%), CH₂O (18 ± 2%), and HCOCl (5%) from MACR ; CH₂O (7 ± 1%), HCOCl (3%), acrolein (≈3%), and 4‐chlorocrotonaldehyde (CCA, not quantified) from 1,3‐butadiene; CH₃CHO (22 ± 3%), CO₂ (13 ± 2%), 3‐chloro‐2‐butanone (13 ± 4%), CH₂O (7.6 ± 1.1%), and CH₃OH (1.8 ± 0.6%) from trans‐2‐butene; and chloroacetaldehyde (20 ± 3%), CH₂O (7 ± 1%), CO₂ (4 ± 1%), and HCOCl (4 ± 1%) from 1‐butene. Product yields from both trans‐2‐butene and 1‐butene were found to be O₂‐dependent. In the case of trans‐2‐butene, the observed O₂‐dependence is the result of a competition between unimolecular decomposition of the CH₃CH(Cl)? CH(O?)? CH₃ radical and its reaction with O₂, with k_decomp/k_O2 = (1.6 ± 0.4) × 10¹⁹ molecule cm^?3. The activation energy for decomposition is estimated at 11.5 ± 1.5 kcal mol^?1. The variation of the product yields with O₂ in the case of 1‐butene results from similar competitive reaction pathways for the two β‐chlorobutoxy radicals involved in the oxidation, ClCH₂CH(O?)CH₂CH₃ and ?OCH₂CHClCH₂CH₃. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 35: 334–353, 2003     

Upper limits for the gas-phase reaction of H2O2 with O3 and NO. Atmospheric implications

Upper limits of 4×10⁻²⁰ and 7×10⁻²⁰ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ were established for the gas-phase reactions of H₂O₂ with O₃ and NO, respectively. These reactions are too slow to explain features observed in the atmospheric vertical profile of H₂O₂. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet: 30: 707–709, 1998     

Tunable diode laser studies of the reaction of Cl atoms with CH3CHO

The reaction Cl + CH₃CHO → HCl + CH₃CO (1) was studied using flash photo‐lysis / tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy to monitor the production of HCl. The rate coefficient, k₁, was measured to be (7.5 ± 0.8) × 10⁻¹¹ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ at 298 K. HCl (v = 0) and HCl^† (v = 1) were measured directly in this study and the yields of HCl (v = 0, 1, >1) for the reaction of Cl with CH₃CHO were determined to be 0.44 ± 0.15, 0.56 ± 0.15, and <0.04, respectively. The rate coefficient for the quenching of HCl^† (v = 1) by CH₃CHO was k_17e = (4.8 ± 1.2) × 10⁻¹¹ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 31: 766–775, 1999     

Branching ratios for the reaction of selected carbonyl-containing peroxy radicals with hydroperoxy radicals

An important chemical sink for organic peroxy radicals (RO(2)) in the troposphere is reaction with hydroperoxy radicals (HO(2)). Although this reaction is typically assumed to form hydroperoxides as the major products (R1a), acetyl peroxy radicals and acetonyl peroxy radicals have been shown to undergo other reactions (R1b) and (R1c) with substantial branching ratios: RO(2) + HO(2) → ROOH + O(2) (R1a), RO(2) + HO(2) → ROH + O(3) (R1b), RO(2) + HO(2) → RO + OH + O(2) (R1c). Theoretical work suggests that reactions (R1b) and (R1c) may be a general feature of acyl peroxy and α-carbonyl peroxy radicals. In this work, branching ratios for R1a-R1c were derived for six carbonyl-containing peroxy radicals: C(2)H(5)C(O)O(2), C(3)H(7)C(O)O(2), CH(3)C(O)CH(2)O(2), CH(3)C(O)CH(O(2))CH(3), CH(2)ClCH(O(2))C(O)CH(3), and CH(2)ClC(CH(3))(O(2))CHO. Branching ratios for reactions of Cl-atoms with butanal, butanone, methacrolein, and methyl vinyl ketone were also measured as a part of this work. Product yields were determined using a combination of long path Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection, gas chromatography with flame ionization detection, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The following branching ratios were determined: C(2)H(5)C(O)O(2), Y(R1a) = 0.35 ± 0.1, Y(R1b) = 0.25 ± 0.1, and Y(R1c) = 0.4 ± 0.1; C(3)H(7)C(O)O(2), Y(R1a) = 0.24 ± 0.15, Y(R1b) = 0.29 ± 0.1, and Y(R1c) = 0.47 ± 0.15; CH(3)C(O)CH(2)O(2), Y(R1a) = 0.75 ± 0.13, Y(R1b) = 0, and Y(R1c) = 0.25 ± 0.13; CH(3)C(O)CH(O(2))CH(3), Y(R1a) = 0.42 ± 0.1, Y(R1b) = 0, and Y(R1c) = 0.58 ± 0.1; CH(2)ClC(CH(3))(O(2))CHO, Y(R1a) = 0.2 ± 0.2, Y(R1b) = 0, and Y(R1c) = 0.8 ± 0.2; and CH(2)ClCH(O(2))C(O)CH(3), Y(R1a) = 0.2 ± 0.1, Y(R1b) = 0, and Y(R1c) = 0.8 ± 0.2. The results give insights into possible mechanisms for cycling of OH radicals in the atmosphere.     

Matrix-isolation spectra of chlorine nitrate

High-resolution FTIR-isolation spectra of chlorine nitrate in nitrogen and argon matrices have been studied and a full analysis based on planar ClONO₂ and known impurities carried out. No evidence for isomers of ClONO₂ has been found; if present, their concentrations must be less than 1% of parent ClONO₂.     

Stereochemical basis for the anti-chlamydial activity of the phosphonate protease inhibitor JO146

JO146, a mixture of two diastereomers of a peptidic phosphonate inhibitor for Chlamydial HtrA (CtHtrA), has reported activity against Chlamydia species in both human and koala. In this study we isolated the individual diastereomers JO146-D1 and JO146-D2 (in ≥90% purity) and assessed their individual inhibitory activity against the serine protease human neutrophil elastase (HNE) which is structurally and functionally related to CtHtrA, as well as in Chlamydia trachomatis cell culture. JO146-D2 [S,S,R-Boc-Val-Pro-Val^P(OPh)₂], the isomer with the physiologically relevant valine at P1, had an approximate 2.5 – fold increase in in vitro HNE inhibition potency over JO146-D1 [S,S,S-Boc-Val-Pro-Val^P(OPh)₂] and greater than 100 – fold increase in cellular anti-chlamydial activity compared to JO146-D1 which possesses the unnatural valine at P1. JO146 and the individual diastereomers had excellent selectivity for the serine protease HNE over the potential off-target serine proteases trypsin and chymotrypsin. Docking studies supported the biological data with a geometrically unfavoured interaction observed between the P1 valine residue of JO146-D1 and the enzyme S1 sub-pocket.