The aqueous aerosol-phase hydrolysis of organic nitrate which produces nitric acid, has been proposed as an important loss process for atmospheric aerosol nitrate. This reaction impacts the rate of deposition and is therefore important to the global nitrogen cycle. Herein we describe our work to study the organic and aqueous-phase reactions of atmospherically-relevant α-hydroxy nitrate esters. Although hydrolysis is expected to dominate atmospheric processing of these molecules, we find that solvolysis and reactions with other atmospherically-relevent nucleophiles may be competitive with hydrolysis. A more nuanced understanding of the individual reactivities of these compounds will enable researchers to further deconvolute the complex atmospheric processing of organic nitrates and their role in secondary aerosol formation.

Using synthesis to study reactions of atmospherically-relevant α-hydroxy nitrate esters of monoterpenes

ACS Spring 2022

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