FTIR spectroscopic study of the Cl- and Br-atom initiated oxidation of ethene

The reaction mechanism of the halogen (Cl and Br)-atom initiated oxidation of C₂H₄ was studied using the long path FTIR spectroscopic method in 700 torr of air at 296 ± 2 K. Among the major halogen-containing products were X? CH₂CHO, X? CH₂CH₂OH, and X? CH₂CH₂OOH (X = Cl or Br) which were shown to be formed via the self-reaction of the X? CH₂CH₂OO radicals, i.e., 2X? CH₂CH₂OO → 2X? CH₂CH₂O + O₂; (a) 2X? CH₂CH₂OO → X? CH₂CHO + X? CH₂CH₂OH + O₂ and (b) followed by X? CH₂CH₂O + O₂ → X? CH₂CHO + HO₂ and X? CH₂CH₂OO + HO₂ → X? CH₂CH₂OOH + O₂. From the observed yields of X? CH₂CHO and X? CH₂CH₂OH the branching ratios for reactions (a) and (b) were determined to be k_a/k_b = 1.35 ± 0.07(2σ) for both X = Cl and Br. In addition, the O₂-dependence of the rate constant for the Br + C₂H₄ reaction was determined by the relative rate technique as a function of O₂ partial pressure from 140 to 700 torr at 700 torr total pressure of N₂/O₂ diluent. Rate constants for the reactions of Cl-atoms with Cl-CH₂CHO and Br-atoms with Br-CH₂CHO were also determined to be [4.3 ± 0.2(2sigma;)] × 10^?11 and less than or equal to [1.83 ± 0.11(2σ)] × 10^?13 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, respectively.