The uptake of 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol into aqueous mixed solutions of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide

Abstract

Multiphase acid-catalyzed oxidation with hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) has been suggested recently to be a potential route to SOA formation from isoprene and its gas-phase oxidation products, the kinetics and chemical mechanism of this process have not been well-known yet. In this work, the uptake of 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol (MBO), an important biogenic hydrocarbon and structurally similar to isoprene, into aqueous mixed solutions of H₂O₂ and sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) was performed using a rotated wetted-wall reactor coupled to a differentially pumped single-photon ionization time of flight mass spectrometer (RWW-SPI-TOFMS). The reactive uptake coefficients (γ) were acquired for the first time and the reaction pathways were deduced according to products information. The reactive uptake coefficients of MBO into H₂SO₄–H₂O₂ mixed solutions are much greater than that into H₂SO₄ solutions. Acetaldehyde, acetone and an on-line product, which transformed to isoprene readily in the duration of an off-line experiment, were suggested as products in this process. The further reactions of the carbonyl products can occur in acidic solution, which may play a role in SOA formation. Additionally, in real atmosphere the on-line product is apt to transform to isoprene, an acknowledged precursor of biogenic SOA. Thus, the multiphase acid-catalyzed oxidation of MBO with H₂O₂ might be a potential contributor to SOA loading.