Atmospheric Chemistry of CH₃CH₂OCH₃: Kinetics and Mechanism of Reactions with Cl Atoms and OH Radicals

The atmospheric chemistry of methyl ethyl ether, CH 3 CH 2 OCH 3 , was examined using FT‐IR/relative‐rate methods. Hydroxyl radical and chlorine atom rate coefficients of k (CH 3 CH 2 OCH 3 +OH) = (7.53 ± 2.86) × 10 −12 cm 3 molecule −1 s −1 and k (CH 3 CH 2 OCH 3 +Cl) = (2.35 ± 0.43) × 10 −10 cm 3 molecule −1 s −1 were determined (297 ± 2 K). The Cl rate coefficient determined here is 30% lower than the previous literature value. The atmospheric lifetime for CH 3 CH 2 OCH 3 is approximately 2 days. The chlorine atom–initiated oxidation of CH 3 CH 2 OCH 3 gives CH 3 C(O)H (9 ± 2%), CH 3 CH 2 OC(O)H (29 ± 7%), CH 3 OC(O)H (19 ± 7%), and CH 3 C(O)OCH 3 (17 ± 7%). The IR absorption cross section for CH 3 CH 2 OCH 3 is (7.97 ± 0.40) × 10 −17 cm molecule −1 (1000–3100 cm −1 ). CH 3 CH 2 OCH 3 has a negligible impact on the radiative forcing of climate.