Atmospheric Chemistry of CH3CH2OCH3: Kinetics and Mechanism of Reactions with Cl Atoms and OH Radicals

The atmospheric chemistry of methyl ethyl ether, CH3CH2OCH3, was examined using FT-IR/relative-rate methods. Hydroxyl radical and chlorine atom rate coefficients of k(CH3CH2OCH3+OH) = (7.53 +/- 2.86) x 10(-12) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) and k(CH3CH2OCH3+Cl) = (2.35 +/- 0.43) x 10(-10) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) were determined (297 +/- 2 K). The Cl rate coefficient determined here is 30% lower than the previous literature value. The atmospheric lifetime for CH3CH2OCH3 is approximately 2 days. The chlorine atom initiated oxidation of CH3CH2OCH3 gives CH3C(O)H (9 +/- 2%), CH3CH2OC(O)H (29 +/- 7%), CH3OC(O)H (19 +/- 7%), and CH3C(O)OCH3 (17 +/- 7%). The IR absorption cross section for CH3CH2OCH3 is (7.97 +/- 0.40) x 10(-17) cm molecule(-1) (1000-3100 cm-1). CH3CH2OCH3 has a negligible impact on the radiative forcing of climate. (C) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 49: 10-20, 2017