Atmospheric chemistry of hexanenitrile: Kinetics and products of the gas-phase reactions of CH3(CH2)4CN with Cl atoms and OH radicals

Smog chamber/Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) techniques were used to measure the kinetics of the reaction of CH₃(CH₂)₄CN, 1-cyanopentane, with Cl atoms and OH radicals: k(CH₃(CH₂)₄CN + Cl) = (1.34 ± 0.22) × 10⁻¹⁰ and k(CH₃(CH₂)₄CN + OH) = (2.84 ± 0.66) × 10⁻¹² cm³ molecules⁻¹ s⁻¹ at a total pressure of 700 Torr of air or N₂ diluents at 296 ± 2 K. The atmospheric oxidation of alkyl nitriles proceeds through hydrogen abstraction leading to several carbonyl containing primary oxidation products. Based on the OH radical rate constants the atmospheric lifetime of CH₃(CH₂)₄CN was estimated to be 4 days.