Hydrochloroethers in the troposphere: Kinetics with Cl atoms, lifetimes and atmospheric acceptability indices

Rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of chlorine atoms with 2-chloroethyl ethyl ether ( k 1) and bis(2-chloroethyl) ether ( k 2) were determined for the first time using a conventional relative rate technique. Experiments were carried out at (298 ± 2) K and atmospheric pressure using synthetic air as bath gas. The decay rates of the hydrochloroethers were measured relative to those of n-pentane and n-heptane. The following rate constants were derived in units of cm 3 molecule −1 s −1: k 1 = (1.7 ± 0.5) × 10 −10 and k 2 = (1.0 ± 0.3) × 10 −10. The rate constants obtained are compared with previous literature data to indicate reactivity trends and are used to estimate the global atmospheric lifetimes ( τ global) of the studied hydrochloroethers. Radiative forcing efficiencies (RE) of the ethers were determined from their integrated IR absorption cross-sections. Using τ global and RE, estimations were made of atmospheric hazard indices of the two chlorinated ethers such as the ozone depletion potential (ODP) and the global warming potential (GWP). ► Rate constants for reactions of Cl with two hydrochloroethers. ► Reactivity trends are discussed. ► Atmospheric lifetimes and global warming potentials of the ethers are calculated.