Kinetics of the reactions of the hydroxyl radical with dimethyl ether and diethyl ether

Absolute rate coefficients for the reactions of the hydroxyl radical with dimethyl ether (k₁) and diethyl ether (k₂) were measured over the temperature range 295–442 K. The rate coefficient data, in the units cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, were fitted to the Arrhenius equations k₁ (T) = (1.04 ± 0.10) × 10^?11 exp[?(739 ± 67 cal mol^?1)/RT] and k₂(T) = (9.13 ± 0.35) × 10^?12 exp[+(228 ± 27 kcal mol^?1)/RT], respectively, in which the stated error limits are 2σ values. Our results are compared with those of previous studies of hydrogen-atom abstraction from saturated hydrocarbons by OH. Correlations between measured reaction-rate coefficients and C? H bond-dissociation energies are discussed.