Competing atmospheric reactions of CH2OO with SO2 and water vapour.

H2SO4 formation from the reaction CH2OO + SO2 has been measured as a function of the water vapour concentration for close to atmospheric conditions. Second-order kinetics with regard to water indicates a preferred reaction of CH2OO with the water dimer. The obtained kinetic parameters lead to the conclusion that the atmospheric fate of CH2OO is dominated by the reaction with water vapour. A comparison with results from CH3CHOO and (CH3)2COO indicates a structure dependent reactivity of stabilized Criegee intermediates.