Abstract

The link between anthropogenic chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) release and stratospheric ozone depletion now appears well established. Several fluorinated methanes and ethanes are among the hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) currently being investigated as replacements for the chlorine containing congeners that have traditionally found use as refrigerants, fire extinguishers, and in more specialized applications. In recent years significant effort has focused on the tropospheric degradation pathways available to HFCs initiated by H atom abstraction by a hydroxyl radical. For alternate CFC's the generic initiating reactions are: Although an impressive amount of mechanistic and kinetic information concerning these pathways has been gathered recently, much remains to be learned about the fluorinated methyl and ethyl radicals which represent the first intermediates of the degradation process.

© 1994 Optical Society of America