An experimental study of the gas-phase reactions of NO3 radicals with a series of unsaturated aldehydes: trans-2-hexenal, trans-2-heptenal, and trans-2-octenal.

Rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of the NO(3) radical with a series of unsaturated aldehydes, trans-2-hexenal, trans-2-heptenal, and trans-2-octenal, have been measured using absolute rate method at 294 ± 3 K and atmospheric pressure. This work was performed to clarify discrepancies found in the literature and thus led to a clearer view of the effect of the increasing carbon chain length on the reactivity of trans-2-alkenals. The rate constants were determined to be (4.7 ± 1.5) × 10(-15), (5.3 ± 1.6) × 10(-15), and (5.6 ± 2.3) × 10(-15) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) for trans-2-hexenal, trans-2-heptenal, and trans-2-octenal, respectively. These results clearly indicate that the carbon chain lengthening of the trans-2-alkenals does not significantly affect the rate constant. In addition, the mechanism for the reaction of NO(3) with these unsaturated aldehydes was also investigated. Unsaturated peroxynitrate-type compounds that are exclusively formed through the abstraction channel were observed as the main products.