Product formation from the reaction of the NO3 radical with isoprene and rate constants for the reactions of methacrolein and methyl vinyl ketone with the NO3 radical

Using a relative rate method, rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of the NO₃ radical with methacrolein and methyl vinyl ketone were determined to be (4.4 ± 1.7) × 10^?15 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 and <6 × 10^?16 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, respectively, at 296 ± 2 K. The molar formation yields of methacrolein and methyl vinyl ketone from the gas-phase reaction of the NO₃ radical with isoprene at 296 ± 2 K and atmospheric pressure of air were measured to be 0.035 ± 0.014 each. The tropospheric implications of these kinetic and product data are discussed, and it is concluded that the nighttime NO₃ radical reactions with methacrolein and methyl vinyl ketone are not important. However, during nighttime the formation of methacrolein and methyl vinyl ketone from the reaction of isoprene with the NO₃ radical may dominate over their formation from the O₃ reaction with isoprene. Atmospheric pressure ionization tandem mass spectrometry (API-MS/MS) was used to investigate the products of the reactions of the NO₃ radical with isoprene and isoprene-d₈, and C₅-nitrooxycarbonyl(s) (e.g., O₂NOCH₂C(CH₃) (DOUBLEBOND) CHCHO), C₅-hydroxynitrate(s) (e.g., O₂NOCH₂C(CH₃)(DOUBLEBOND) CHCH₂OH), C₅-nitrooxyhydroperoxide(s) (e.g., O₂NOCH₂C(CH₃)(DOUBLEBOND) CHCH₂OOH), and C₅-hydroxycarbonyl(s) (e.g., HOCH₂CH(DOUBLEBOND) C(CH₃)CHO) and their deuterated analogs were observed from these reactions. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.