Reactions of NO 3 ‐naphthalene adducts with O 2 and NO 2

The kinetics of the gas‐phase reaction of the NO 3 radical with naphthalene have been investigated at 150 torr O 2 + 590 torr N 2 and 600 torr O 2 + 140 torr N 2 at 298 ± 2 K. Relative rate measurements were carried out in reacting NO 3 N 2 O 5 ‐naphthalene‐propene‐O 2 N 2 mixtures by longpath Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy. A rate constant ratio for the reactions of O 2 and NO 2 with the NO 3 ‐naphthalene adduct of k   O   2/ k   NO   2< 4 × 10 −7 was obtained from the competition between O 2 and NO 2 for reaction with the NO 3 ‐naphthalene adduct and thermal decomposition of the adduct back to reactants. Atmospheric pressure ionization MS/MS measurements of the nitronaphthalene products of the NO 3 radical‐initiated reaction of naphthalene are consistent with the proposed reaction mechanism, and the atmospheric implications of the data are discussed. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.