Rates of hydroxy radical reactions with methane, ethane and propane over the temperature range 403–696 K

Rate constant ratios have been measured over the range 403–696 K for the reactions OH + CO → CO2+ H OH + RH → H2O + R where RH = CH4, C2H6, and C3H8.Hydroxy radicals were generated by photolysis of water vapour at 184.9 nm. Measurement of the CO2 yield as a function of [RH]/[CO] afforded values of the rate constant ratios.The results also indicate that the rate constant for CO2 production shows no detectable change with pressure over the range 2850–12 600 N m–2 at these temperatures.