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Is hydrogen cyanide (HCN) a progenitor of acetonitrile (CH 3 CN) in the atmosphere?
Author(s) -
Brasseur G.,
Zellner R.,
De Rudder A.,
Arijs E.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl012i003p00117
Subject(s) - hydrogen cyanide , atmosphere (unit) , hydrogen , acetonitrile , astrobiology , molecule , chemistry , hydrogen molecule , earth (classical element) , cyanide , photochemistry , atmospheric chemistry , inorganic chemistry , ozone , physics , organic chemistry , meteorology , astronomy
The possibility of a link between HCN and CH 3 CN in the atmosphere has been suggested recently. A new chemical analysis of this problem as well as model calculations indicate that, most probably, these gases are produced at the Earth's surface and destroyed by oxidation in the middle atmosphere. The strength of the photodestruction of these 2 molecules seems to be weak. It is unlikely that HCN is an atmospheric source of CH 3 CN.