Spectroscopic characterization of two peroxyl radicals during the O2-oxidation of the methylthio radical

Abstract

The atmospheric oxidation of dimethyl sulfide affects the Earth’s climate, but the intricate pathways of this complex reaction are still not fully described. Here, the authors use an optimized flash pyrolysis method for gas-phase generation of the methylthio radical to study its O2-oxidation via matrix-isolation spectroscopy, and unambiguously identify two peroxyl radical intermediates.