Atmospheric fate of a series of furanaldehydes by their NO3 reactions

The kinetics of the reactions of the NO3 radical with 2-furanaldehyde, 3-furanaldehyde and 5-methyl-2-furanaldehyde have been measured at 298 +/- 2 K and 760 Torr of total pressure using a relative kinetic method. The simultaneous losses of furanaldehydes and a reference compound were followed by FTIR spectroscopy. The rate constants obtained for the NO3 reactions are (in cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1)): (1.20 +/- 0.28) x 10(-12) for 2-furanaldehyde, (3.41 +/- 0.79) x 10(-12) for 3-furanaldehyde and (5.51 +/- 1.27) x 10(-12) for 5-methyl-2-furanaldehyde. This study is the first determination of the rate constants for the reaction of NO3 radicals with furanaldehydes. The results are presented and discussed in terms of structure-reactivity relationships. Calculated atmospheric lifetimes reveal that the night-time reaction with the nitrate radical is the most important loss process for these kinds of compounds. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.