Aspects of the atmospheric chemistry of amides.

The gas-phase reactions of six amides, formamide, N-methyl formamide, N,N-dimethyl formamide, acetamide, N-methyl acetamide and N,N-dimethyl acetamide with the atmospheric oxidants OH radicals and Cl atoms, but in a number of cases also with NO(3) radicals and ozone, are presented and discussed. Kinetic and mechanistic information available from previous experimental work is combined with new kinetic and product information from this study, obtained in a photoreactor using in situ FTIR spectrometry, to elucidate the gas-phase photooxidation mechanisms of the amides and assess potential environmental implications.