The hydroxyl radical reaction rate constant and products of cyclohexanol

The gas phase reaction of the hydroxyl radical (OH) with cyclohexanol (COL) has been studied. The rate coefficient was determined to be (19.0 ± 4.8) × 10⁻¹² cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ (at 297 ± 3 K and 1 atmosphere total pressure) using the relative rate technique with pentanal, decane, and tridecane as the reference compounds. Assuming an average OH concentration of 1 × 10⁶ molecules cm⁻³, an atmospheric lifetime of 15 h is calculated for cyclohexanol. Products of the OH + COL reaction were determined to more clearly define COL's atmospheric degradation mechanism. The observed products and their formation yields were: cyclohexanone (0.55 ± 0.06), hexanedial (0.32 ± 0.15), 3‐hydroxycyclohexanone (0.31 ± 0.14), and 4‐hydroxycyclohexanone (0.08 ± 0.04). Consideration of the potential reaction pathways suggests that each of these products is formed via hydrogen abstraction at a different site on the COL ring. The products and their relative amounts are discussed in light of the predicted yields for each reaction channel. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 33: 108–117, 2001