Rate constants for the reactions of OH radicals with alkyl substituted olefins

Relative rate constants for the reactions of hydroxyl radicals with a series of alkyl substituted olefins were measured by competitive reactions between pairs of olefins at 298 ± 2 K and 1 atmospheric pressure. Hydroxyl radicals were produced by the photolysis of H₂O₂ with 254-nm irradiation. The obtained rate constants were (× 10^?11 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1): 2.53 ± 0.06, propylene; 5.49 ± 0.17, cis-2-butene; 5.47 ± 0.1, isobutene; 6.46 ± 0.13, 2-methyl-1-butene; 6.37 ± 0.16, cis-2-pentene; 6.23 ± 0.1, 2-methyl-1-pentene; 8.76 ± 0.14, 2-methyl-2-pentene; 6.24 ± 0.08, trans-4-methyl-2-pentene; 10.3 ± 0.1, 2,3-dimethyl-2-butene; 9.94 ± 0.1, 2,3-dimethyl-2-pentene; 5.59 ± 0.07, trans-4,4-dimethyl-2-pentene. A trend in alkyl substituent effect on the rate constant was found, which is useful to predict k_OH on the basis of the number of alkyl substituents on the double bond.