Kinetics of reactions of CN with chlorinated methanes

The kinetics of reactions of CN with the chlorinated methanes CH3Cl, CH2Cl2, CHCl3 and CCl4 were investigated over the temperature range 298–573 K, using laser induced fluorescence (LIF) spectroscopy. At 298 K, rate constants of 9.0 ± 0.3 × 10−13, 8.8 ± 0.4 × 10−13, 9.0 ± 0.5 × 10−13 and 4.3 ± 0.6 × 10−13 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 were measured, respectively. A small positive temperature dependence was observed, as well as kinetic isotope effects of kH/kD ∼ 2.14–2.25. These data along with product detection experiments strongly suggest that hydrogen abstraction dominates these reactions.