The total rate constant k 1 has been determined at P ϭ 1 Torr nominal pressure (He) and at T ϭ 298 K for the vinyl-methyl cross-radical reaction: (1) CH 3 ϩ C 2 H 3 : Products. The measurements were performed in a discharge flow system coupled with collision-free sampling to a mass spectrometer operated at low electron energies. Vinyl and methyl radicals were generated by the reactions of F with C 2 H 4 and CH 4 , respectively. The kinetic studies were performed by monitoring the decay of C 2 H 3 with methyl in excess, 6
The overall rate coefficient was determined to be k 1 (298 K) ϭ (1.02 Ϯ 0.53) ϫ 10 Ϫ10 cm 3 molecule Ϫ1 s Ϫ1 with the quoted uncertainty representing total errors. Numerical modeling was required to correct for secondary vinyl consumption by reactions such as C 2 H 3 ϩ H and C 2 H 3 ϩ C 2 H 3 . The present result for k 1 at T ϭ 298 K is compared to two previous studies at high pressure (100-300 Torr He) and to a very recent study at low pressure (0.9-3.7 Torr He). Comparison is also made with the rate constant for the similar reaction CH 3 ϩ C 2 H 5 and with a value for k 1 estimated by the geometric mean rule employing values for k(CH 3 ϩ CH 3 ) and k(C 2 H 3 ϩ C 2 H 3 ). Qualitative product studies at T ϭ 298 K and 200 K indicated formation of C 3 H 6 , C 2 H 2 , and C 3 H 5 as products of the combination-stabilization, disproportionation, and combination-decomposition channels, respectively, of the CH 3 ϩ C 2 H 3 reaction. We also observed the secondary C 4 H 8 product of the subsequent reaction of C 3 H 5 with excess CH 3 ; this observation provides convincing evidence for the combination-decomposition channel yielding C 3 H 5 ϩ H. RRKM calculations with helium as the deactivator support the present and very recent experimental observations that allylic C-H bond rupture is an important path in the combination reaction. The pressure and temperature dependencies of the branching fractions are also predicted.