Study of the Reaction Cl + Ethyl Formate at 700-950 Torr and 297 to 435 K: Product Distribution and the Kinetics of the Reaction C2H5OC(═O) → CO2 + C2H5.

Abstract

The kinetics and mechanism of the reaction of atomic chlorine with ethyl formate [Cl + CH3CH2O(C═O)H, reaction 1] have been examined. These experiments were performed at pressures of 760-950 Torr and temperatures from 297 to 435 K. Reactants and products were quantified by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC/FID) analysis. The initial mixture contained ethyl formate, Cl2, and N2. Cl atoms were generated by UV photolysis of this initial mixture at 360 nm, which dissociates Cl2. The rate constant of reaction 1 was measured at 297 K relative to that of the reaction Cl + C2H5Cl (reaction 2), yielding the rate constant ratio k1/k2 = 1.09 ± 0.05. The final products formed from reaction 1 are ethyl chloroformate, 1-chloroethyl formate, and 2-chloroethyl formate. These products result from the reactions with Cl2 of the three free radicals formed by H atom abstraction from ethylformate in reaction 1. Based on the molar yields of these three chlorinated products, the yields of the three radicals formed from reaction 1 at 297 K are (25 ± 3) mole percent of CH3CH2O(C═O); (67 ± 5) mole percent of CH3CHO(C═O)H; and (8 ± 2) mole percent of CH2CH2O(C═O)H. A second phase of this experiment measured the rate constant of the decarboxylation of the ethoxy carbonyl radical [CH3CH2O(C═O) → CO2 + C2H5, reaction 4] relative to the rate constant of its reaction with Cl2 [CH3CH2O(C═O) + Cl2 → CH3CH2O(C═O)Cl + Cl, reaction 3a]. Over the temperature range 297 to 404 K at 1 atm total pressure, this ratio can be expressed by k4/k3a = 10(23.56±0.22) e(-(12700±375)/RT) molecules cm(-3). Estimating the value of k3a (which has not been measured) based on similar reactions, the expression k4 = 5.8 × 10(12) e(-(12700)/RT) s(-1) is obtained. The estimated error of this rate constant is ± a factor of 2 over the experimental temperature range. This rate expression is compared with recent ab initio calculations of the decarboxylation of the analogous methoxy carbonyl radical.