We report the results of a mass spectrometric study of the effects of atmospherically relevant metal ions on the decomposition of α-hydroxyalkyl-hydroperoxides (α-HHs) derived from ozonolysis of α-terpineol in aqueous solutions. By direct mass spectrometric detection of chloride adducts of α-HHs, we assessed the temporal profiles of α-HHs and other products in the presence of metal ions. In addition, reactions between α-HHs and FeCl2 in the presence of excess DMSO showed that the amount of hydroxyl radicals formed in a mixture of α-terpineol, O3, and FeCl2 was 5.7 ± 0.8% of the amount formed in a mixture of H2O2 and FeCl2. The first-order rate constants for the decay of α-HHs produced by ozonolysis of α-terpineol in the presence of 5 mM acetate buffer at a pH of 5.1 ± 0.1 were determined to be (4.5 ± 0.1) × 10-4 s-1 (no metal ions), (4.7 ± 0.2) × 10-4 s-1 (with 0.05 mM Fe2+), (4.7 ± 0.1) × 10-4 s-1 (with 0.05 mM Zn2+), and (4.8 ± 0.2) × 10-4 s-1 (with 0.05 mM Cu2+). We propose that in acidic aqueous media, the reaction of α-HHs with Fe2+ is outcompeted by H+-catalyzed decomposition of α-HHs, which produces the corresponding aldehydes and H2O2, which can in turn react with Fe2+ to form hydroxyl radicals.
Keywords: Criegee intermediates; Fenton reaction; Fenton-like reactions; OH radical; peroxides; reactive oxygen species.