Reactivity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons toward nitrating species

Journal Article · Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1984 · Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00121a005· OSTI ID:7101637

Nielsen, T

The transformation rates of 25 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and 4 derivatives of anthracene are investigated in dilute solutions containing dinitrogen tetraoxide and nitric and nitrous acid under conditions which are relevant for determining the relative reactivities of PAH and their derivatives toward nitrogen compounds in the atmosphere. The reactivities of some of the PAH are several orders of magnitude higher than that of benzene. The reactions are apparently electrophilic, as electron-donating substituents, e.g., methyl, enhance the reactivity of anthracenes, and electron-withdrawing substituents, e.g., nitro, diminish it. The reactivities of PAH correlate with spectroscopical constants, and it seems possible to relate the differences in reactivity to differences in the chemical structure. A classification of the reactivity of PAH in electrophilic reactions in the environment under dark and weak lighting conditions is set up. 60 references.

• Research Organization: Riso National Lab., Roskilde, Denmark
• OSTI ID: 7101637
• Journal Information: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Vol. 18:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ANTHRACENE
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
NITROGEN OXIDES
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
CHEMICAL BONDS
CHEMICAL STATE
CLASSIFICATION
SPECTROSCOPY
ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRA
AROMATICS
CHALCOGENIDES
CONDENSED AROMATICS
HYDROCARBONS
KINETICS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REACTION KINETICS
SPECTRA
400301* - Organic Chemistry- Chemical & Physicochemical Properties- (-1987)
500200 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)