Mechanism and Rate Constants of the CH3+ CH2CO Reaction: A Theoretical Study

The mechanism of the reaction of ketene with methyl radical has been studied by ab initio CCSD(T)‐F12/cc‐pVQZ‐f12//B2PLYPD3/6‐311G** calculations of the potential energy surface. Temperature‐ and pressure‐dependent reaction rate constants have been computed using the Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus (RRKM)–Master Equation and transition state theory methods. Three main channels have been shown to dominate the reaction; the formation of the collisionally stabilized CH₃COCH₂ radical and the production of the C₂H₅ + CO and HCCO + CH₄ bimolecular products. Relative contributions of the CH₃COCH₂, C₂H₅ + CO, and HCCO + CH₄ channels strongly depend on the reaction conditions; the formation of thermalized CH₃COCH₂ is favored at low temperatures and high pressures, HCCO + CH₄ is dominant at high temperatures, whereas the yield of C₂H₅ + CO peaks at intermediate temperatures around 1000 K. The C₂H₅ + CO channel is favored by a decrease in pressure but remains the second most important reaction pathway after HCCO + CH₄ under typical flame conditions. The calculated rate constants at different pressures are proposed for kinetic modeling of ketene reactions in combustion in the form of modified Arrhenius expressions. Only rate constant to form CH₃COCH₂ depends on pressure, whereas those to produce C₂H₅ + CO and HCCO + CH₄ appeared to be pressure independent.     

Rate constant and RRKM product study for the reaction between CH3 and C2H3 at T = 298 K

The total rate constant k₁ has been determined at P = 1 Torr nominal pressure (He) and at T = 298 K for the vinyl‐methyl cross‐radical reaction: (1) CH₃ + C₂H₃ → Products. The measurements were performed in a discharge flow system coupled with collision‐free sampling to a mass spectrometer operated at low electron energies. Vinyl and methyl radicals were generated by the reactions of F with C₂H₄ and CH₄, respectively. The kinetic studies were performed by monitoring the decay of C₂H₃ with methyl in excess, 6 < [CH₃]₀/ [C₂H₃]₀ < 21. The overall rate coefficient was determined to be k₁(298 K) = (1.02 ± 0.53) × 10⁻¹⁰ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ with the quoted uncertainty representing total errors. Numerical modeling was required to correct for secondary vinyl consumption by reactions such as C₂H₃ + H and C₂H₃ + C₂H₃. The present result for k₁ at T = 298 K is compared to two previous studies at high pressure (100–300 Torr He) and to a very recent study at low pressure (0.9–3.7 Torr He). Comparison is also made with the rate constant for the similar reaction CH₃ + C₂H₅ and with a value for k₁ estimated by the geometric mean rule employing values for k(CH₃ + CH₃) and k(C₂H₃ + C₂H₃). Qualitative product studies at T = 298 K and 200 K indicated formation of C₃H₆, C₂H₂, and C₃H₅ as products of the combination‐stabilization, disproportionation, and combination‐decomposition channels, respectively, of the CH₃ + C₂H₃ reaction. We also observed the secondary C₄H₈ product of the subsequent reaction of C₃H₅ with excess CH₃; this observation provides convincing evidence for the combination‐decomposition channel yielding C₃H₅ + H. RRKM calculations with helium as the deactivator support the present and very recent experimental observations that allylic C‐H bond rupture is an important path in the combination reaction. The pressure and temperature dependencies of the branching fractions are also predicted. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 32: 304–316, 2000     

Kinetics and products of propargyl (C3H3) radical self‐reactions and propargyl‐methyl cross‐combination reactions

Propargyl (HCC CH₂) and methyl radicals were produced through the 193‐nm excimer laser photolysis of mixtures of C₃H₃Cl/He and CH₃N₂CH₃/He, respectively. Gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric (GC/MS) product analyses were employed to characterize and quantify the major reaction products. The rate constants for propargyl radical self‐reactions and propargyl‐methyl cross‐combination reactions were determined through kinetic modeling and comparative rate determination methods. The major products of the propargyl radical combination reaction, at room temperature and total pressure of about 6.7 kPa (50 Torr) consisted of three C₆H₆ isomers with 1,5‐hexadiyne(CHC CH₂ CH₂ CCH, about 60%); 1,2‐hexadiene‐5yne (CH₂CC CH₂ CCH, about 25%); and a third isomer of C₆H₆ (∼15%), which has not yet been, with certainty, identified as being the major products. The rate constant determination in the propargyl‐methyl mixed radical system yielded a value of (4.0 ± 0.4) × 10⁻¹¹ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ for propargyl radical combination reactions and a rate constant of (1.5 ± 0.3) × 10⁻¹⁰ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ for propargyl‐methyl cross‐combination reactions. The products of the methyl‐propargyl cross‐combination reactions were two isomers of C₄H₆, 1‐butyne (about 60%) and 1,2‐butadiene (about 40%). © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 32: 118–124, 2000     

Experimental and Kinetic Modeling Study of C2H2 Oxidation at High Pressure

A detailed chemical kinetic model for oxidation of acetylene at intermediate temperatures and high pressure has been developed and evaluated experimentally. The rate coefficients for the reactions of C₂H₂ with HO₂ and O₂ were investigated, based on the recent analysis of the potential energy diagram for C₂H₃ + O₂ by Goldsmith et al. and on new ab initio calculations, respectively. The C₂H₂ + HO₂ reaction involves nine pressure‐ and temperature‐dependent product channels, with formation of triplet CHCHO being dominant under most conditions. The barrier to reaction for C₂H₂ + O₂ was found to be more than 50 kcal mol^?1 and predictions of the initiation temperature were not sensitive to this reaction. Experiments were conducted with C₂H₂/O₂ mixtures highly diluted in N₂ in a high‐pressure flow reactor at 600–900 K and 60 bar, varying the reaction stoichiometry from very lean to fuel‐rich conditions. Model predictions were generally in satisfactory agreement with the experimental data. Under the investigated conditions, the oxidation pathways for C₂H₂ are more complex than those prevailing at higher temperatures and lower pressures. Acetylene is mostly consumed by recombination with H to form vinyl (reducing conditions) or with OH to form a CHCHOH adduct (stoichiometric to lean conditions). Both C₂H₃ and CHCHOH then react primarily with O₂. The CHCHOH + O₂ reaction leads to formation of significant amounts of glyoxal (OCHCHO) and formic acid (HOCHO), and the oxidation chemistry of these intermediates is important for the overall reaction.     

Kinetics and Thermodynamics of Formation and Electron‐Transfer Reactions of Surfactant Cobalt(III) Complexes Containing Polypyridyl Ligands with Fe(CN)64− in Microheterogeneous Environment

The electron‐transfer reaction of some surfactant cobalt(III) complexes, cis‐[Co(ip)₂(C₁₂H₂₅NH₂)₂]³⁺ 1 , cis‐[Co(dpq)₂(C₁₂H₂₅NH₂)₂]³⁺ 2 , and cis‐[Co(dpqc)₂(C₁₂H₂₅NH₂)₂]³⁺ 3 (ip = imidazo[4,5‐f][1,10]phenanthroline, dpq = dipyrido[3,2‐d:2′‐3′‐f]quinoxaline, dpqc = dipyrido[3,2‐a:2′,4′‐c](6,7,8,9‐tetrahydro)phenazine, C₁₂H₂₅NH₂ = dodecylamine) with the Fe(CN)₆^4? ion has been investigated in microheterogeneous media (micelles, β‐cyclodextrin) at different temperatures by the spectrophotometric method under pseudo‐first‐order conditions using an excess of the reductant. Experimentally, the reaction was found to be second order and the electron transfer postulated as an outer sphere. The rate constant for the electron‐transfer reaction in micelles was found to increase with an increase in the initial concentration of the surfactant–cobalt(III) complex. This peculiar behavior of dependence of the second‐order rate constant on the initial concentration of one of the reactants has been attributed to the presence of various concentrations of micelles under different initial concentrations of the surfactant–cobalt(III) complex in the reaction medium. Inclusion of the long aliphatic chain of the surfactant complex ion into β‐cyclodextrin leads to decrease in the rate constant. Kinetic data and activation parameters are interpreted in terms of an outer‐sphere electron‐transfer mechanism. All these results have been interpreted in terms of the hydrophobic effect and the reactants with the opposite charge.     

Rate constant of the reaction of chlorine atoms with methanol over the temperature range 291–475 K

The rate constant of the reaction Cl + CH₃OH (k₁) has been measured in 500–950 Torr of N₂ over the temperature range 291–475 K. The rate constant determination was carried out using the relative rate technique with C₂H₆ as the reference compound. Experiments were performed by irradiating mixtures of CH₃OH, C₂H₆, Cl₂, and N₂ with UV light from a fluorescent lamp whose intensity peaked near 360 nm. The resultant temperature‐dependent rate expression is k₁ = 8.6 (±1.3) × 10^?11 exp[?167 (±60)/T] cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. Error limits represent data scatter (2σ) in the current experiments and do not include error in the reference rate constant. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 42: 113–116, 2010     

Catalytic Oxidation of Methane to C2‐C4 Hydrocarbons over CeO2 Promoted W‐Mn/SiO2 Catalysts at Higher Pressure

CeO₂‐promoted Na‐Mn‐W/SiO₂ catalyst has been studied for catalytic oxidation of methane in a micro‐stainless‐steel reactor at elevated pressure. The effect of operating conditions, such as GHSV, pressure and CH₄/O₂ ratio, has been investigated. 22.0% CH₄ conversion with 73.8% C₂‐C₄ selectivity (C₂/C₃/C₄ = 3.8/1.0/3.6) was obtained at 1003 K, 1.5 × 10⁵ h^?;1 GHSV and 1.0 MPa. The results show: Elevated pressure disadvantages the catalytic oxidation of methane to C₂‐C₄ hydrocarbons. Large amounts of C₃ and C₄ hydrocarbons are observed. The unfavorable effects of elevated pressure can be overcome by increasing GHSV; the reaction is strongly dependent on the operating conditions at elevated pressure, particularly dependent on GHSV and ratio of CH₄/O₂. Analyses by means of XRD, XPS and CO₂‐TPD show that CO₂ produced from the reaction makes a weakly poisoning capacity of the catalyst; information of changeful valence on Ce and Mn was detected over the near‐surface of the Ce‐Na‐W‐Mn/SiO₂ catalyst; the existence of Ce³⁺/Ce⁴⁺ and Mn²⁺/Mn³⁺ ion couple supported that the reaction over the catalyst followed the Redeal‐Redox mechanism. Oxidative re‐coupling of C₂H₆ and CH₄ in gas phase or over surface of catalyst produces C₃ or C₄ hydrocarbons.     

Isotope effect in Ni + C2H4 (C2D4) association reaction

The association reactions of atomic nickel with ethene and fully deuterated ethene in carbon dioxide buffer gas at 295 K have been investigated in the pressure range 5–100 torr, using a laser photolysis-laser fluorescence technique. By comparison with results of ab initio quantum chemistry calculations for the complex Ni[C₂H₄], the data are shown to be consistent with reaction on both ground and excited state potential energy surfaces. A simple rate equations treatment is described which shows the form of the pressure dependence of the second-order recombination rate coefficient in this case. Under conditions which are expected to hold for the Ni + C₂H₄ (C₂D₄) reaction, the pressure dependence has the standard Lindemann-Hinshelwood form, with the limiting high pressure rate constant given by an apparent value which reflects the degree to which the participating electronic states are coupled by nonadiabatic transitions. The limiting high pressure behavior of the recombination rate coefficient for Ni + C₂H₄ is not strongly affected by deuterium isotope substitution. However, the effect on the low pressure rate constant is large and consistent with RRKM unimolecular reaction theory. This validates the use of RRKM calculations for estimating the binding energy of the complex from kinetic data. The binding energy of Ni[C₂H₄] is estimated to be 35.2 ± 4.2 kcal mol^?1. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Gas‐Phase Kinetics of Chlorosilylene Reactions II. ClSiH + C2H4: Absolute Rate Measurements and Quantum Chemical and RRKM Calculations for the Prototype π Addition Reaction

Time‐resolved studies of chlorosilylene, ClSiH, generated by the 193 nm laser flash photolysis of 1‐chloro‐1‐silacyclopent‐3‐ene, are carried out to obtain rate constants for its bimolecular reaction with ethene, C₂H₄, in the gas‐phase. The reaction is studied over the pressure range 0.13–13.3 kPa (with added SF₆) at five temperatures in the range 296–562 K. The second order rate constants, obtained by extrapolation to the high pressure limits at each temperature, fitted the Arrhenius equation: log(k^∞/cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1)=(?10.55±0.10) + (3.86±0.70) kJ mol^?1/RT ln10. The Arrhenius parameters correspond to a loose transition state and the rate constant at room temperature is 43 % of that for SiH₂ + C₂H₄, showing that the deactivating effect of Cl‐for‐H substitution in the silylene is not large. Quantum chemical calculations of the potential energy surface for this reaction at the G3MP2//B3LYP level show that, as well as 1‐chlorosilirane, ethylchlorosilylene is a viable product. The calculations reveal how the added effect of the Cl atom on the divalent state stabilisation of ClSiH influences the course of this reaction. RRKM calculations of the reaction pressure dependence suggest that ethylchlorosilylene should be the main product. The results are compared and contrasted with those of SiH₂ and SiCl₂ with C₂H₄.     

Thermal decomposition of 1,2 butadiene

The thermal decomposition of 1,2 butadiene has been studied behind reflected shock waves over the temperature and total pressure ranges of 1300–2000 K and 0.20–0.55 atm using mixtures of 3% and 4.3% 1,2 butadiene in Ne. The major products of the pyrolysis are C₂H₂, C₄H₂, C₂H₄, CH₄ and C₆H₆. Toluene was observed as a minor product in a narrow temperature range of 1500–1700 K. In order to model successfully the product profiles which were obtained by time-of-flight mass spectrometry, it was necessary to include the isomerization reaction of 1,2 to 1,3 butadiene. A reaction mechanism consisting of 74 reaction steps and 28 species was formulated to model the time and temperature dependence of major products obtained during the course of decomposition. The importance of C₃H₃ in the formation of benzene is demonstrated.     

Theoretical investigation on the reaction of N2O and CO catalyzed by Fe(C6H6)

The reaction of N₂O with CO, catalyzed by Fe⁺(C₆H₆) and producing N₂ and CO₂, has been investigated at the UB3LYP/6-311+G(d) level. The computation results revealed that the reaction of Fe⁺(C₆H₆), N₂O and CO, is an O-atom abstraction mechanism. For the reaction channels, the geometries and the vibrational frequencies of all species have been calculated and the frequency modes analysis also have been given to elucidate the reaction mechanism. On the basis for geometry optimizations, the thermodynamic data of these reactions channels have been calculated using the statistical theory at 295.15 K and pressure of 0.35 Torr. Using Eyring transition state theory with Wigner correction, the activation thermodynamic data, rate constant and frequency factors for the these reaction channels also have been given. The results showed that CO and N₂O do not react without catalyst and Fe⁺(C₆H₆) can excellently mediate the reaction of N₂O and CO.     

Experimental determination of the equilibrium constant of the reaction CH3 + O2 ⇄ CH3O2 during the gas-phase oxidation of methane

For the experimental determination of the equilibrium constant of the reaction CH₃ + O₂ ? CH₃O₂ (1), the process of methane oxidation has been studied over the temperature range of 706–786 K. The concentration of CH₃O₂ has been measured by the radical freezing method, and that of CH₃ from the rate of accumulation of ethane, assuming that C₂H₆ is produced by the reaction CH₃ + CH₃ → C₂H₆ (2). The equilibrium constant of reaction (1) has been obtained at four temperatures. For the heat of the reaction the value Δ?H₂₉₈ = -32.2 ± 1.5 kcal/mol is recommended.     

The temperature dependence of the HO2 + HO2 reaction

The temperature dependence of the rate constant for the reaction HO₂ + HO₂ → H₂O₂ + O₂ (2k₁) has been determined using flash photolysis techniques, over the temperature range 298–510 K, in a nitrogen diluent at a total pressure of 700 Torr. The overall second order state constant is given by k₁ = (4.14 ± 1.15) × 10^?13 exp[(630 ± 115)/T] cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, where the quoted errors refer to one standard deviation. This result is compared with previous findings and the negative activation energy is shown to be consistent with the observation that the rate constant is pressure dependent at 700 Torr.     

Pressure dependence of the reaction Cl + C2H2 over the temperature range 230 to 370 K

The pressure dependence of reaction (1), Cl + C₂H₂ + M → C₂H₂Cl + M, has been measured by a relative rate technique using the pressure independent abstraction reaction (2), Cl + C₂H₆ → C₂H₅ + HCl, as the reference. Values of k₁/k₂ were measured at pressures between 25 and 1300 torr at four temperatures ranging from 252 to 370 K, using air, N₂, or SF₆ diluent gases. Low pressure measurements (10–50 torr) were performed at 230 K. Assuming a temperature-independent center broadening factor of 0.6 in the Troe formalism and using the established value of k₂, these data can be used to determine the temperature dependent high and low pressure limiting rate constants over the range of conditions studied in air for reaction (1): k_∞(1) = 2.13 × 10^?10 (T/300)^?1.045 cm³/molecule-s; and k₀(1) = 5.4 × 10^?30 (T/300)^?2.09 cm⁶/molecule²-s. Use of these expressions yields rate constants with an estimated 20% accuracy including uncertainty in the reference reaction. The data indicate that the rate constant for a typical stratospheric condition at 30 km altitude is approximately 50% of that previously estimated.     

Absolute rate constant for the reaction of Phenyl radical with Acetylene

The absolute rate constant for the reaction of phenyl radical with acetylene has been measured at 20 torr total pressure in the temperature range of 297 to 523 K using the cavity-ring-down technique. These new kinetic data could be quantitatively correlated with the data obtained earlier with a relative rate method under low-pressure (10^?3–10^?2 torr) and high-temperature (1000–1330 K) conditions. These kinetic data were analyzed in terms of the RRKM theory employing the thermochemical and molecular structure data computed with the BAC-MP4 technique. The calculated results reveal that the total rate constant for the C₆H₅ + C₂H₂ reaction (k_t) is pressure-independent, whereas those for the formation of C₆H₅C₂H (k_b) and the C₆H₅C₂H₂ adduct (k_c) are strongly pressure-dependent. A least-squares analysis of the calculated values for 300–2000 K at the atmospheric pressure of N₂ or Ar can be given by and all in units of cm³/s. The latter equation effectively represents the two sets of experimental data. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Kinetic modeling of the CH3 + C2H2 reaction data with sensitivity analyses

Kinetic modeling and sensitivity analyses for the reaction CH₃ + C₂H₂ → CH₃C₂H₂ (4) have been performed according to the experimental conditions and results of Mandelcorn and Steacie, Garcia Dominguez and Trotman–Dickenson, and Holt and Kerr. The kinetically modeled results show that Mandelcorn and Steacie overestimated the rate constant of reaction (4) whereas Garcia Dominguez and Trotman-Dickenson underestimated it, and that there could be significant uncertainty in the steady-state treated results of Holt and Kerr. Reanalysis of Garcia Dominguez and Trotman–Dickenson's experimental data by kinetic modeling with the proper mechanism gives a more reliable rate constant for reaction (4). The improved rate constant (k₄) is in good agreement with our theoretically predicted values. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Rate constant and a detailed error analysis for C2H3 + H reaction

The production and reactions of vinyl radicals and hydrogen atoms from the photolysis of vinyl iodide (C₂H₃I) at 193 nm have been examined employing laser photolysis coupled to kinetic-absorption spectroscopic and gas chromatographic product analysis techniques. The time history of vinyl radicals in the presence of hydrogen atoms was monitored using the 1,3-butadiene (the vinyl radical combination product) absorption at 210 nm. By employing kinetic modeling procedures a rate constant of 1.8 × 10^?10 cm² molecule^?1 s^?1 for the reaction C₂H₃ + H has been determined at 298 K and 27 KPa (200 torr) pressure. A detailed error analysis for determination of the C₂H₃ + H reaction rate constant, the initial C₂H₃ and H concentrations are performed. A combined uncertainty of ±0.43 × 10^?10 cm² molecule^?1 s^?1 for the above measured rate constant has been evaluated by combining the contribution of the random errors and the systematic errors (biases) due to uncertainties of each known parameter used in the modeling. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Kinetics of the reactions of C2H5, n‐C3H7, and n‐C4H9 radicals with Cl2 at the temperature range 190–360 K

The kinetics of the C₂H₅ + Cl₂, n‐C₃H₇ + Cl₂, and n‐C₄H₉ + Cl₂ reactions has been studied at temperatures between 190 and 360 K using laser photolysis/photoionization mass spectrometry. Decays of radical concentrations have been monitored in time‐resolved measurements to obtain reaction rate coefficients under pseudo‐first‐order conditions. The bimolecular rate coefficients of all three reactions are independent of the helium bath gas pressure within the experimental range (0.5–5 Torr) and are found to depend on the temperature as follows (ranges are given in parenthesis): k(C₂H₅ + Cl₂) = (1.45 ± 0.04) × 10^?11 (T/300 K)^{?1.73 ± 0.09} cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 (190–359 K), k(n‐C₃H₇ + Cl₂) = (1.88 ± 0.06) × 10^?11 (T/300 K)^{?1.57 ± 0.14} cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 (204–363 K), and k(n‐C₄H₉ + Cl₂) = (2.21 ± 0.07) × 10^?11 (T/300 K)^{?2.38 ± 0.14} cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 (202–359 K), with the uncertainties given as one‐standard deviations. Estimated overall uncertainties in the measured bimolecular reaction rate coefficients are ±20%. Current results are generally in good agreement with previous experiments. However, one former measurement for the bimolecular rate coefficient of C₂H₅ + Cl₂ reaction, derived at 298 K using the very low pressure reactor method, is significantly lower than obtained in this work and in previous determinations. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 39: 614–619, 2007     

A flash photolysis resonance fluorescence kinetics study of ground-state sulfur atoms. III. Rate parameters for reaction of S(3P) with ethylene episulfide

Absolute rate constants for the reaction of S(³P) with ethylene episulfide were measured over a C₂H₄S concentration range of 5, a total pressure of 20–200 tort, and a flash intensity range of ?4. Over this range of variables, the bimolecular rate constant was found to be invariant. Because of limitations imposed by the physical properties of the reactant C₂H₄S, temperature variations were necessarily held to the range 298–355°K. The bimolecular rate constant was found to be invariant over this limited temperature range, having a value of (4.47 ± 0.26) × 10^?11 cm³ molec.^?1 sec^?1. The possible influence of this reaction in studies of the S(³P)–ethylene system are discussed.     

Kinetic modeling of the CO/H2O/O2/NO/SO2 system: Implications for high‐pressure fall‐off in the SO2 + O(+M) = SO3(+M) reaction

Flow reactor experiments were performed to study moist CO oxidation in the presence of trace quantities of NO (0–400 ppm) and SO₂ (0–1300 ppm) at pressures and temperatures ranging from 0.5–10.0 atm and 950–1040 K, respectively. Reaction profile measurements of CO, CO₂, O₂, NO, NO₂, SO₂, and temperature were used to further develop and validate a detailed chemical kinetic reaction mechanism in a manner consistent with previous studies of the CO/H₂/O₂/NO_X and CO/H₂O/N₂O systems. In particular, the experimental data indicate that the spin‐forbidden dissociation‐recombination reaction between SO₂ and O‐atoms is in the fall‐off regime at pressures above 1 atm. The inclusion of a pressure‐dependent rate constant for this reaction, using a high‐pressure limit determined from modeling the consumption of SO₂ in a N₂O/SO₂/N₂ mixture at 10.0 atm and 1000 K, brings model predictions into much better agreement with experimentally measured CO profiles over the entire pressure range. Kinetic coupling of NO_X and SO_X chemistry via the radical pool significantly reduces the ability of SO₂ to inhibit oxidative processes. Measurements of SO₂ indicate fractional conversions of SO₂ to SO₃ on the order of a few percent, in good agreement with previous measurements at atmospheric pressure. Modeling results suggest that, at low pressures, SO₃ formation occurs primarily through SO₂ + O(+M) = SO₃(+M), but at higher pressures where the fractional conversion of NO to NO₂ increases, SO₃ formation via SO₂ + NO₂ = SO₃ + NO becomes important. For the conditions explored in this study, the primary consumption pathways for SO₃ appear to be SO₃ + HO₂ = HOSO₂ + O₂ and SO₃ + H = SO₂ + OH. Further study of these reactions would increase the confidence with which model predictions of SO₃ can be viewed. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 32: 317–339, 2000