Rate constants for hydrogen abstraction reactions of the sulfate radical, SO4−. Alkanes and ethers

Abstract Rate constants have been determined for the reactions of SO 4 − with a series of alkanes and ethers. The SO 4 − radical was produced by the laser‐flash photolysis of persulfate, S 2 O 8 2− . For methane, only an upper limit of 1 × 10 6 M −1 s −1 could be determined. For ethane, propane, and 2‐methylpropane, rate constants of 0.44, 4.0, and 10.5 × 10 7 M −1 s −1 were found. For ethyl and n ‐propyl ether, rate constants of 1.3 × 10 8 and 2.2 × 10 8 M −1 s −1 were found and for 1,4‐dioxane and tetrahydrofuran, rate constants of 7.2 × 10 7 and 2.8 × 10 8 were obtained. The reaction of SO 4 − with allyl alcohol was also studied and found to have a rate constant of 1.4 × 10 9 M −1 s −1 .