Atmospheric lifetime of fluorotelomer alcohols

Relative rate techniques were used to study the kinetics of the reactions of Cl atoms and OH radicals with a series of fluorotelomer alcohols, F(CF2CF2)(n)-CH2CH2OH (n = 2, 3, 4), in 700 Torr of N-2 or air, diluent at 296 +/- 2K. The length of the F(CF2CF2)(n)- group had no discernible impact on the reactivity of the molecule. For n = 2, 3, or 4, k(Cl + F(CF2CF2)(n)CH2CH2OH) = (1.61 +/- 0.49) x 10(-11) and k(OH + F(CF2CF2)(n)CH2CH2OH) = (1.07 +/- 0.22) x 10(-12) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1). Consideration of the likely rates of other possible atmospheric loss mechanisms leads to the conclusion that the atmospheric lifetime of F(CF2CF2)(n)CH2CH2OH (n greater than or equal to 2) is determined by reaction with OH radicals and is approximately 20 d.