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The reaction between the hydroperoxy radical, HO(2), and acetone may play an important role in acetone removal and the budget of HO(x) radicals in the upper troposphere. We measured the equilibrium constants of this reaction over the temperature range of 215-272 K at an overall pressure of 100 Torr using a flow tube apparatus and laser flash photolysis to produce HO(2). The HO(2) concentration was monitored as a function of time by near-IR diode laser wavelength modulation spectroscopy. The resulting [HO(2)] decay curves in the presence of acetone are characterized by an immediate decrease in initial [HO(2)] followed by subsequent decay. These curves are interpreted as a rapid (<100 μs) equilibrium reaction between acetone and the HO(2) radical that occurs on time scales faster than the time resolution of the apparatus, followed by subsequent reactions. This separation of time scales between the initial equilibrium and ensuing reactions enabled the determination of the equilibrium constant with values ranging from 4.0 × 10(-16) to 7.7 × 10(-18) cm(3) molecule(-1) for T = 215-272 K. Thermodynamic parameters for the reaction determined from a second-law fit of our van't Hoff plot were Δ(r)H°(245) = -35.4 ± 2.0 kJ mol(-1) and Δ(r)S°(245) = -88.2 ± 8.5 J mol(-1) K(-1). Recent ab initio calculations predict that the reaction proceeds through a prereactive hydrogen-bonded molecular complex (HO(2)-acetone) with subsequent isomerization to a hydroxy-peroxy radical, 2-hydroxyisopropylperoxy (2-HIPP). The calculations differ greatly in the energetics of the complex and the peroxy radical, as well as the transition state for isomerization, leading to significant differences in their predictions of the extent of this reaction at tropospheric temperatures. The current results are consistent with equilibrium formation of the hydrogen-bonded molecular complex on a short time scale (100 μs). Formation of the hydrogen-bonded complex will have a negligible impact on the atmosphere. However, the complex could subsequently isomerize to form the 2-HIPP radical on longer time scales. Further experimental studies are needed to assess the ultimate impact of the reaction of HO(2) and acetone on the atmosphere.

The self-reactions and cross reactions of the peroxy radicals C2H5O2 and HO2 were monitored using simultaneous independent spectroscopic probes to observe each radical species. Wavelength modulation (WM) near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy was used to detect HO2, and UV absorption monitored C2H5O2. The temperature dependences of these reactions were investigated over a range of interest to tropospheric chemistry, 221-296 K. The Arrhenius expression determined for the cross reaction, k2(T) = (6.01(-1.47)(+1.95)) x 10(-13) exp((638 +/- 73)/T) cm3 molecules(-1) s(-1) is in agreement with other work from the literature. The measurements of the HO2 self-reaction agreed with previous work from this lab and were not further refined. The C2H5O2 self-reaction is complicated by secondary production of HO2. This experiment performed the first direct measurement of the self-reaction rate constant, as well as the branching fraction to the radical channel, in part by measurement of the secondary HO2. The Arrhenius expression for the self-reaction rate constant is k3(T) = (1.29(-0.27)(+0.34)) x 10(-13)exp((-23 +/- 61)/T) cm3 molecules(-1) s(-1), and the branching fraction value is alpha = 0.28 +/- 0.06, independent of temperature. These values are in disagreement with previous measurements based on end product studies of the branching fraction. The results suggest that better characterization of the products from RO2 self-reactions are required.