# Aqueous-Phase Reaction Mechanisms of Small α-Dicarbonyls in the Presence of Phthalate Esters

## TL;DR

This study explores how phthalate esters affect the chemical reactions of glyoxal and methylglyoxal in water, which is important for understanding air pollution.

## Contribution

The study reveals that phthalate esters indirectly influence the oligomerization of glyoxal and methylglyoxal through their hydrolysates.

## Key findings

- Direct PAE-mediated oligomerization of glyoxal and methylglyoxal is hindered due to lack of reactive sites.
- Hydrolysates of PAEs facilitate oligomerization via nucleophilic attack, hydration, and deprotonation.
- Indirect PAE-mediated reactions are thermodynamically and kinetically favorable in near-neutral pH conditions.

## Abstract

Oligomerization of glyoxal (GL) and methylglyoxal (MG) plays a vital role in secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation in aqueous aerosols. However, the influence of emerging contaminants on the oligomerization of GL and MG remains unclear. Therefore, using quantum chemical and kinetic calculations, we investigated the oligomerization of GL and MG in the presence of phthalate esters (PAEs), including dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dipropyl phthalate (DPP), and dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and the role of PAEs in the oligomerization. Our findings indicate that the direct PAE-mediated oligomerization of GL and MG is hindered due to the lack of reactive sites. However, the oligomerization of GL and MG is readily mediated by the hydrolysates of PAEs, which are the preferred forms of PAEs in weakly acidic aerosols, attributable to the additional -OH groups. The mechanisms show that the indirect PAE-mediated oligomerization proceeds via three-step reactions, including nucleophilic attack on carbenium ions, hydration, and deprotonation, which are thermodynamically and kinetically favorable. Our results reveal that the role of PAEs in the GL/MG oligomerization needs to be emphasized, particularly in conditions with a pH value approaching neutrality.