Rate constant measurements for the reaction Cl + CH2O yields HCl + CHO Implications regarding the removal of stratospheric chlorine

The flash photolysis resonance fluorescence technique was employed to investigate the rate constant for the reaction Cl + CH2O yields HCl + CHO from 223 to 323 K. An Arrhenius fit of the data gives a rate constant equal to (1.09 + or - 0.40) x 10 to the -10th exp/-(131 + or - 98)/T/ in units of cu cm/molecule per sec. The results are compared to two very recent kinetic studies and are assessed in view of the reaction's role in disrupting the Cl-ClO stratospheric ozone depletion chain.