Kinetic studies of diatomic free radicals using mass spectrometry: Part 2.—Rapid bimolecular reactions involving the ClO X2Πradical

Abstract

The kinetics of rapid bimolecular reactions involving ClO, X2Π, v= 0, radicals at 298 K have been studied mass spectrometrically using molecular beam sampling from a discharge-flow system. The following rate constants (298 K, cm3 molecule–1 s–1) are reported: [graphic omitted] ClO radicals were found to be unreactive towards a range of singlet ground state molecules, up to 670K. The reactions (1) and (2) are important rate-determining steps in the proposed ClOx cycle for depletion of ozone in the stratosphere. The implications for this ClOx cycle of recent measurements of rate constants involving Cl, ClO and OClO, are discussed.