The chemistry of reactive radical intermediates in combustion and the atmosphere

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the chemistry of reactive radical intermediates in combustion and the atmosphere. Combustion processes convert chemical energy into heat and work, playing several important roles in society. Oxidation processes provide power to beneficiaries ranging from automobiles to electrical generators and atmospheric oxidation reactions impact a wide range of environmental phenomena. At high temperatures, methane oxidation is initiated through hydrogen atom abstraction by hydroxyl radical, oxygen atom, or hydrogen atom. Peroxy radical chemistry plays a substantial role in low-temperature combustion as opposed to the alkoxy radical chemistry of high-temperature combustion.The peroxy radicals constitute an important class of reactive intermediates with significant implications for low temperature combustion and atmospheric reactions. Phenylperoxyradical, originally assumed to be a factor in low-temperature combustion only, has actually been shown to play a substantial role in dictating the overall combustion trends of benzene. The chapter suggests that both hydrogen atom and alkyl group loss can contribute to the combustion of coal in initiation reactions.