Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation From Radical Initiated Reactions Of Alkenes

The products and mechanisms of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from reactions of 1-alkenes, internal alkenes, and 2-methyl-1-alkenes with OH radicals in the presence of NO[subscript x] were investigated in an environmental chamber and the results used to develop quantitative models for SOA formation. Aerosol chemical composition was analyzed using a thermal desorption particle beam mass spectrometer (TDPBMS), and multifunctional organic nitrate products were quantified using a high-performance liquid chromatograph with UV-vis detector and identified using the TDPBMS and 1H NMR. The major products observed in reactions of linear alkenes were [beta]-hydroxynitrates, dihydroxynitrates, cyclic hemiacetals, dihydrofurans, and dimers formed from dihydroxycarbonyls. Trihydroxynitrates and trihydroxycarbonyls were observed in reactions of 2-methyl-1-alkenes, in addition to the products listed above. Dimers were not observed, apparently because electron donation by the additional methyl group (compared to linear 1-alkenes) reduces the driving force for hemiacetal formation. The measured yields of [beta]-hydroxynitrates, dihydroxynitrates, and trihydroxynitrates were used to calculate relative ratios of 1.0:1.9:4.3 for forming primary, secondary, and tertiary [beta]-hydroxyalkyl radicals by OH radical addition to the C=C double bond, and branching ratios of 0.12, 0.15, and 0.25 for forming [beta]-hydroxynitrates from reactions of primary, secondary, and tertiary â-hydroxyperoxy radicals with NO. The trends are consistent with expected relative stabilities of [beta]-hydroxyalkyl radicals and ß-hydroxyperoxy radical-NO complexes. It should be possible to use these values to estimate product yields from similar reactions of other alkenes. Comparison of measured and model-calculated SOA yields showed that in some cases the models provide accurate predictions of SOA yields, but that uncertainties in gas- and particle-phase chemistry and gas-particle partitioning can lead to significant discrepancies. More limited environmental chamber studies were also carried out on SOA formation from reactions of linear alkenes with NO3 radicals. The major products were [beta]-hydroxynitrates, [beta]-carbonylnitrates, dihydroxynitrates, and hydroxy- and oxo- dinitrooxytetrahydrofurans, which had not been observed previously. It was observed that isomerization of [delta]-hydroxycarbonyls to cyclic hemiacetals, followed by dehydration to highly reactive dihydrofurans that can be further oxidized, can be important sources of SOA from reactions of alkenes with OH and NO3 radicals.