Kinetics into the steady state. I. study of the reaction of oxygen atoms with methyl radicals

The exponential relaxation of CH₃, produced by the reaction O + C₂H₄ → CH₃ + HCO, to its steady-state concentration was quantitatively monitored after the reactants were mixed. The relaxation profiles yield the rate constant of the reaction O + CH₃ → H₂CO + H equal to (1.85 ± 0.28) × 10^-10 cm³/molecule-sec at 300°K. Ancillary experiments yielded values for the rate constant for the reaction of O atoms with C₂H₄ at 300°K, the average of which is 7.7 × 10^-12 cm³/molecule-sec. The experimental technique, which employs a fast-flow reactor coupled to a photoionization mass spectrometer, is described in detail and its potential discussed.