Investigation of a New Pathway Forming Naphthalene by the Recombination Reaction of Cyclopentadienyl Radicals

Abstract Mechanism of naphthalene (c-C10H8) formation by the recombination of cyclopentadienyl radicals (c-C5H5) was investigated by monitoring the time profiles of H atom behind the reflected shock of trifluoromethoxybenzene (C6H5OCF3) highly diluted with Ar. The rate constant for c-C5H5 + c-C5H5 → c-C10H8 + 2H was determined to be 3.3 × 1017 exp(−135 kJ/RT) cm3 mol−1 s−1.