Determination of the rate constants for the NCO(X2Pi) + Cl(2P) and Cl(2P) + ClNCO(X1A') reactions at 293 and 345 K

The rate constant for the reaction of the isocyanato radical, NCO(X2Pi) with chlorine atoms, Cl(2P), has been measured at 293 +/- 2 and 345 +/- 3 K to be (6.9 +/- 3.8) x 10(-11) and (4.0 +/- 2.2) x 10(-11) cm3 molecules(-1) s,(-1) respectively, where the uncertainties include both random and systematic errors. The measurements were carried out at pressures of 1.3-6.2 Torr with either Ar or CF4 as the bath gas and were independent of both pressure and nature of the third body. Equal concentrations of NCO and Cl atoms were created by 248 nm photolysis of ClNCO. The reaction was monitored by following the temporal dependence of NCO(X2Pi) using time-resolved infrared absorption spectroscopy on rotational transitions of the NCO(10(1)1) <-- (00(1)0) combination band. The reaction rate constant was determined by using a simple chemical model and minimizing the sum of the residuals between the experimental and computer generated temporal NCO concentration profiles. The reaction Cl + ClNCO --> Cl2 + NCO was found to contribute to the observed NCO. The rate constant for this reaction was found to be (2.4 +/- 1.6) x 10(-13) and (1.9 +/- 1.2) x 10(-13) cm3 molecules(-1) s,(-1) at 293 and 345 K, respectively, where the uncertainties include both random and systematic error.