Computational investigations on the HO2 + CHBr2O2 reaction: mechanisms, products, and atmospheric implications.

Using quantum chemistry methods, mechanisms and products of the CHBr2O2 + HO2 reaction in the atmosphere were investigated theoretically. Computational result indicates that the dominant product is CHBr2OOH + O2 formed on the triplet potential energy surface (PES). While CBr2O + OH + HO2 produced on the singlet PES is subdominant to the overall reaction under the typical atmospheric condition below 300 K. Due to higher energy barriers surmounted, other products including CBr2O2 + H2O2, CBr2O + HO3H, CH2O + HO3Br, CHBrO + HO3 + Br, and CHBr2OH + O3 make minor contributions to the overall reaction. In the presence of OH radical, CHBr2OOH generates CHBr2O2 and CBr2O2 + H2O subsequently, which enters into new Br-cycle in the atmosphere. The substitution effect of alkyl group and halogens plays negligible roles to the dominant products in the RO2 + HO2 (X = H, CH3, CH2OH, CH2F, CH2Cl, CH2Br, CH2Cl, and CH2Br) reactions in the atmosphere.