Kinetics and rate constants of the reaction CH2OH+O2-->CH2O+HO2 in the temperature range of 236-600 K.

The kinetics and absolute rate constants of the gas-phase reaction of the hydroxymethyl radical (CH2OH) with molecular oxygen have been studied using laser photolysis/near-IR absorption spectroscopy. The reaction was tracked by monitoring the time-dependent changes in the production of the hydroperoxy radical (HO2) concentration. For sensitive detection of HO2, two-tone frequency modulation absorption spectroscopy was used in combination with a Herriott-type optical multipass absorption cell.