Laboratory Studies of CHF2CF2CH2OH and CF3CF2CH2OH: UV and IR Absorption Cross Sections and OH Rate Coefficients between 263 and 358 K

Fluorinated alcohols, such as 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoropropanol (TFPO, CHF2CF2CH2OH) and 2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropanol (PFPO, CF3CF2CH2OH), can be potential replacements of hydrofluorocarbons with large global warming potentials, GWPs. IR absorption cross sections for TFPO and PFPO were determined between 4000 and 500 cm(-1) at 298 K. Integrated absorption cross sections (Sinv, base e) in the 4000-600 cm(-1) range are (1.92 +/- 0.34) X 10(-16) cm(2) molecule(-1) cm(-1) and (2.05 +/- 0.50) x 10(-16) cm(2) molecule(-1) cm(-1) for TFPO and PFPO, respectively. Uncertainties are at a 95% confidence level. Ultraviolet absorption spectra were also recorded between 195 and 360 nm at 298 K. In the actinic region (A > 290 nm), an upper limit of 10(-23) cm(2) molecule(-1) for the absorption cross sections (sigma(lambda)) was reported. Photolysis in the troposphere is therefore expected to be a negligible loss for these fluoropropanols. In addition, absolute rate coefficients for the reaction of OH radicals with CHF2CF2CH2OH (k(1)) and CF3CF2CH2OH (k(2)) were determined as a function of temperature (T = 263-358 K) by the pulsed laser photolysis/laser induced fluorescence (PLPLIF) technique. At room temperature, the average values obtained were k(1) = (1.85 +/- 0.07) X 10(-13) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) and k(2) = (1.19 +/- 0.03) X 10(-13) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1). The observed temperature dependence of k(1)(T) and k(2)(T) is described by the following expressions: (1.35 +/- 0.23) X 10(-12) exp{-(605 +/- 54)/T} and (1.36 +/- 0.19) X 10(-12) exp{(730 +/- 43)/T} cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1), respectively. Since photolysis of TFPO and PFPO in the actinic region is negligible, the tropospheric lifetime (tau) of these species can be approximated by the lifetime due to the homogeneous reaction with OH radicals. Global values of tau(OH) were estimated to be of 3 and 4 months for TFPO and PFPO, respectively. GWPs relative to CO2 at a time horizon of 500 years were calculated to be 8 and 12 for TFPO and PFPO, respectively. Despite the higher GWP relative to CO2, these species are not expected to significantly contribute to the greenhouse effect in the next decades since they are short-lived species and will not accumulate in the troposphere even as their emissions grow up.