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The Methylsulfonyloxyl Radical, CH3SO3
Bifeng Zhu1, Xiaoqing Zeng2, Helmut Beckers3
1The Key Lab of Health Chemistry and Molecular Diagnosis of Suzhou, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123 (China).
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|August 8, 2015
Summary
The methylsulfonyloxyl radical (CH3SO3), crucial for dimethyl sulfide oxidation, was generated and studied. Researchers observed its tautomerization to CH2SO3H when exposed to specific light wavelengths.
Area of Science:
- Atmospheric Chemistry
- Chemical Physics
Background:
- Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) is a significant volatile organic compound in the atmosphere.
- The oxidation of DMS produces key intermediates that influence atmospheric chemistry.
- Understanding these intermediates is vital for atmospheric modeling.
Purpose of the Study:
- To generate and characterize the methylsulfonyloxyl radical (CH3SO3).
- To investigate the photochemical behavior of CH3SO3, specifically its tautomerization.
Main Methods:
- Flash pyrolysis of CH3SO2OOSO2CH3 to generate the CH3SO3 radical.
- Isolation of the radical in solid noble-gas matrices.
- Characterization using UV/Vis and IR spectroscopy.
- Photochemical studies involving irradiation with light (λ≥360 nm).
Main Results:
- Successful generation and isolation of the methylsulfonyloxyl radical (CH3SO3).
- UV/Vis and IR spectroscopic data provided characterization of the radical.
- Observation of tautomerization of CH3SO3 to CH2SO3H upon irradiation.
Conclusions:
- The methylsulfonyloxyl radical is a key intermediate in DMS atmospheric oxidation.
- The radical undergoes photochemical tautomerization to CH2SO3H.
- This study provides fundamental data on the properties and reactivity of CH3SO3.
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