Formation of secondary organic aerosol marker compounds from the photooxidation of isoprene and isoprene-derived alkene diols under low-NO(x) conditions

Faraday Discuss. 2013:165:261-72. doi: 10.1039/c3fd00092c.

Abstract

In the present work, we have evaluated whether isomeric C5-alkene diols (1,2-dihydroxy-2-methyl-3-butene, 1,2-dihydroxy-3-methyl-3-butene, and 1,4-dihydroxy-2-methyl-2-butene (cis + trans)), which have first been detected upon photooxidation of isoprene in the absence of NO and are known to be formed in the ambient atmosphere, can serve as precursors for the 2-methyltetrols, C5-alkene triols, and 2-methylglyceric acid under low-NO(x) conditions. The C5-alkene diols were prepared following published synthesis procedures. It is shown that under the applied chamber conditions the isomeric C5-alkene diols give rise to 2-methyltetrols with different threo/erythro abundance ratios and that certain diols produce 2-methylglyceric acid, but that they do not form C5-alkene triols. Furthermore, it is shown that the photooxidation of isoprene under the applied chamber conditions employing photolysis of H2O2 under dry conditions yields relatively small amounts of C5-alkene triols compared to those of the 2-methyltetrols, unlike under ambient conditions. It is argued that the chamber conditions are not optimal for the formation of C5-epoxydiols, which serve as gas-phase precursors for the C5-alkene triols, and likely as in some previous studies favor the formation of C5-alkene diols as a result of RO2 + RO2 reactions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aerosols / chemistry*
  • Alkenes / chemistry*
  • Butadienes / chemistry*
  • Hemiterpenes / chemistry*
  • Nitrogen Oxides / chemistry*
  • Organic Chemicals / chemistry*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Pentanes / chemistry*
  • Photochemical Processes*

Substances

  • Aerosols
  • Alkenes
  • Butadienes
  • Hemiterpenes
  • Nitrogen Oxides
  • Organic Chemicals
  • Pentanes
  • isoprene