Hydroxyl radical reactivity scale

Trace-gas Lifetimes. The time scales for tropospheric chemical reactivity depend upon the hydroxyl radical concentration [HO ] and upon the rate of the HO/trace gas reaction, which generally represents the slowest or rate-determining chemical step in the removal of an individual, insoluble, molecular species. These rates are determined by the rate constant, e,g. k2s for the fundamental reaction with HO, a quantity that in general must be determined experimentally. The average lifetime of a trace gas T removed solely by its reaction with HO,... 

Damall, K.R., Lloyd, A.C., Winer, A.M., Pitts, J.N. (1976) Reactivity scale for atmospheric hydrocarbons based on reaction with hydroxyl radicals. Environ. Sci. Technol. 10, 692-696. 

Darnall, K. R., A. C. Lloyd, A. M. Winer, and J. N. Pitts, Jr., Reactivity Scale for Atmospheric Hydrocarbons Based on Reaction with Hydroxyl Radical, Environ. Sci. TechnoL, 10, 692-696 (1976). 

Because of the reactivity of the hydroxyl radical, and the fact that the ingredients are inexpensive, the Fenton reaction is used on a commercial scale to treat waste water. The Fenton reaction can also occur with copper as the transition metal. Given that Fe2+, Cu+, and H202 are abundantly present in biological systems, hydroxyl radicals can be generated via the Fenton reaction in vivo. Reviews by Schiitzendubel and Polle (2002) and by Valko et al. (2005) describe the impact of ROS in plants and humans, respectively. 

Peroxide Initiators. Hydroxyl radicals formed by a redox reaction with H2O2 are highly reactive, and have not been reported for the small-scale preparation of telechelics. However, the industrial preparation of hydroxy-terminated butadiene oligomers probably involves such process (39). 

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