Investigation of the atmospheric oxidation pathways of bromoform: Initiation via OH/Cl reactions Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • The tropospheric oxidation pathways of bromoform, CHBr3, initiated via reaction with OH and Cl, have been examined computationally with energetics calculated for each mechanistic step up to the liberation of all three bromine atoms. We have calculated the energetics associated with the addition of O2 to CBr3 and the subsequent addition of NO to CBr3O2 to form an energized peroxy nitrite molecule. The peroxy nitrite molecule is predicted to dissociate rapidly to form CBr3O and NO2, and the energetics and kinetics of this step were also determined. We find that the reaction of CBr3O2 with HO2 may directly lead to significant production of CBr3O, a pathway that is not important in alkyl analogues. We have examined the dissociation of the CBr3O radical at a higher level of theory to accurately quantify the activation energy and exothermicity of the dissociation. On the basis of our results, we predict that the CBr3O radical will dissociate rapidly to form Br and CBr2O. The tropospheric and stratospheric impact of bromoform oxidation is discussed in light of the present results.

published proceedings

  • JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY A

author list (cited authors)

  • McGivern, W. S., Francisco, J. S., & North, S. W.

citation count

  • 17

complete list of authors

  • McGivern, WS||Francisco, JS||North, SW

publication date

  • July 2002