Evaluation of ozone-alkylpyridine reaction kinetics using spectroscopic measurements

Abstract Rate constants for bimolecular reactions between ozone and a group of alkylpyridines were estimated by application of a pseudo-first-order technique involving time-course monitoring of reactor contents. The method used was a modification of an existing protocol for evaluation of gas-phase reaction kinetics. Reaction progress was followed spectroscopically. The method was found to be inadequate for accurate determination of kinetic parameters due to absorptive interferences; however, it was sufficient for defining lower limits of reaction rate constants. Tropospheric reactions of alkylpyridines with ozone were found to be extremely slow, with atmospheric lifetimes of the order of years.