Figure 4.

A sketch of the complex reaction pathways initiated by a single OH reaction. (a) A schematic description of the first reaction steps that propagate the oxidation chain, together with (b) a sketch of the interconnections of the reaction network. After the oxidation initiation cross reactions of the intermediate RO_x radicals (=RO and RO₂) and reactions with NO_x, (=NO and NO₂) and HO_x (=OH and HO₂) all complicate the ultimate outcome. The detailed branching in the pathways is dependent on the exact molecular structures of the reacting partners and on the prevailing experimental conditions. Peroxy radicals were marked in blue, alkoxy radicals are in white with a blue background, and carbon-centered radicals have an asterisk.