Rate constants for the reactions of benzyl and methyl-substituted benzyl radicals with O2 and NO

Rate constants for reactions of benzyl, o-niethylbenzyl and p-meihylbenzyl radicals with O₂ and NO have been measured at room temperature. The radicals were generated by UV flash photolysis and the time decay measured by absorption at ≈ 300 nm. The rate constants are: benzyl (0.99 ± 0.07 and 9.5 ± 1.2), o-methylbenzyl (1.2 ± 0.07 and 8.6 ± 0.8) and p-mithyl-benzyl (1.1= 0.10 and 8.9 = 0.9) for O₂ and NO respectively in units of 10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1.