The detailed chemical structures of low-pressure premixed laminar flames fueled

by three simple unsaturated

C5H8O2 esters, the methyl crotonate (MC), methyl methacrylate (MMA), and ethyl p
ropenoate
(EPE), are investigated using tunable synchrotron vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photo
ionization mass spectrometry.
Significant differences in the compositions of key reaction intermediates betwee
n these flames
under similar flame conditions are observed. The results enable further refineme
nt and validation of a
detailed chemical kinetic reaction mechanism, which is largely based on a previo
us model for saturated
esters. Detailed kinetic modeling describes how these differences are related to
molecular structures, leading
to unique fuel destruction pathways for each of these isomers. Meanwhile, the ef
fect of carbon carbon double
bonds on the combustion chemistry of small fatty acid esters is addressed