AN INVESTIGATION OF THE REACTION BETWEEN O(P-3) AND TOLUENE AT HIGH-TEMPERATURES

The reaction of O(P3) with toluene was investigated behind incident shock waves at temperatures between 1100 K and 1350 K. The combination of low temperature rate constants with those obtained here fits the Arrhenius expression: k1 = 3.1 x 10(13) x exp(- 2000 K/T) cm3 mol-1 s-1. The O atom concentration was measured by time resolved VUV absorption of the (P3(2.1.0) --> S3(1)) transition at 130.5 nm [1]. In addition the ratio of the rate constant of the O atom addition channel (1a) to that of the H atom abstraction channel (1b) was measured by following the OH absorption at 308.417 nm [Q1(4)-line]. The upper limit of the H atom abstraction could be fixed to be less than 10% of the total reaction. The rate constants were evaluated by the adaptation of numerically simulated to the measured concentration time profiles. The mechanism and possible products are discussed.