Kinetics of the reaction of F atoms with O₂ and UV spectrum of FO₂ radicals in the gas phase at 295 K

The ultraviolet absorption spectrum of FO2 radicals and the kinetics of the reaction of F atoms with O2 have been studied in the gas phase at 295 K using pulse radiolysis combined with kinetic UV spectroscopy. At 230 nm, sigma(FO2) = (5.08 +/- 0.70) X 10(-18) cm2 molecule-1. The kinetics of the reaction F + O2 + M-->FO2 + M (1), were investigated over the pressure range 200-1000 mbar of SF6 diluent. At 1 atm total pressure the pseudo-second-order rate constant for reaction (1) was determined to be (1.9 +/- 0.3) X 10(-13) cm3 molecule-1 s-1.