Evaluation of the rate constant for the reaction OH+H2CO: application of modeling and sensitivity analysis techniques for determination of the product branching ratio

Novel modeling and sensitivity analysis techniques are used with experimental data obtained from discharge flow–resonance fluorescence experiments to evaluate the product branching ratio of OH+H2CO. Two channels are considered: the H-atom abstraction reaction (R2) to form HCO and H2O; and the addition reaction (R17) followed by rearrangement and decomposition to form HCOOH and H. The rate constant values obtained at 298 K are kR2 =(7.75±1.24)×10−12 cm3/molecule s and kR17=(0.2+0.8−0.2) ×10−12 cm3/molecule s. The results demonstrate that the reaction proceeds almost exclusively via the H-atom abstraction pathway.