Rate constant and activation energy for the gaseous reaction between hydroxyl and formaldehyde

The rate constant k4 has been measured at 268°, 298°, and 334° K for the reaction CH2O + 2OH → CO + 2H2O relative to that for OH + OH (k2) by competition experiments in a discharge flow tube using mass‐spectrometric analysis. Based on k2 = 2.24 × 10−12cm3/molec·sec at 298°K and E2 = 4 kJ/mol, k4 = (6.5 ± 1.5) × 10−12cm3/molec·sec at 298°K and E4 = (6 ± 2)kJ/mol.