Kinetics and mechanism associated with the reactions of hydroxyl radicals and of chlorine atoms with 1‐propanol under near‐tropospheric conditions between 273 and 343 K

Rate constants for the reactions of OH radicals and Cl atoms with 1‐propanol (1‐C₃H₇OH) have been determined over the temperature range 273–343 K by the use of a relative rate technique. The value of k(Cl + 1‐C₃H₇OH) = (1.69 ± 0.19) × 10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 at 298 K and shows a small increase of 10% between 273 and 342 K. The value of k(OH + 1‐C₃H₇OH) increases by 14% between 273 and 343 K with a value of (5.50 ± 0.55) × 10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 at 298 K, and further when combined with a single independent experimentally determined value at 753 K gives k(OH + 1‐C₃H₇OH) = 4.69 × 10^?17T^1.8 exp(422/T) cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, which fits each data point to better than 2%. Two well‐established structure–activity relationships for H abstraction by OH radicals give accurate predictions of the rate constant for OH + 1‐C₃H₇OH, provided the β‐CH₂ group is given an increased reactivity of a factor of about 2 over that for the structurally equivalent CH₂ group in alkanes at 298 K. A quantitative product analysis was carried out at 298 K for the Cl‐initiated photooxidation of 1‐C₃H₇OH, using both FTIR and gas chromatography. HCHO, CH₃CHO, and C₂H₅CHO were the only major organic primary products observed, although HCOOH was found in much smaller amounts as a secondary product. A key characteristic of the analysis was that the initial values of the product ratio CH₃CHO]/C₂H₅CHO] were effectively constant for NO pressures between 0.15 and 0.3 Torr, but fell by about 35% as the pressure fell to 0.0375 Torr. From a detailed consideration of the mechanism for the oxidation, it is suggested that C₂H₅CHO, CH₃CHO (+HCHO), and 3 molecules of HCHO are formed uniquely from CH₃CH₂CHOH, CH₃CHCH₂OH, and CH₂CH₂CH₂OH radicals, respectively. On this basis, use of the product yields gives the branching ratios of 56, 30, and 14% for Cl atom reaction at the α‐, β‐, and γ‐C? H positions in 1‐C₃H₇OH at 298 K. Given the very low temperature coefficients involved, little change will occur over tropospheric temperature ranges. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 34: 110–121, 2002