The fast C(3P) + CH3OH reaction as an efficient loss process for
  gas-phase interstellar methanol
  Rate constants for the C(3P) + CH3OH reaction have been measured in a
continuous supersonic flow reactor over the range 50 K to 296 K. C(3P) was
created by the in-situ pulsed laser photolysis of CBr4, a multiphoton process
which also produced some C(1D), allowing us to investigate simultaneously the
low temperature kinetics of the C(1D) + CH3OH reaction. C(1D) atoms were
followed by an indirect chemiluminescent tracer method in the presence of
excess CH3OH. C(3P) atoms were detected by the same chemiluminescence technique
and also by direct vacuum ultra-violet laser induced fluorescence (VUV LIF).
Secondary measurements of product H(2S) atom formation have been undertaken
allowing absolute H atom yields to be obtained by comparison with a suitable
reference reaction. In parallel, statistical calculations have been performed
based on ab-initio calculations of the complexes, adducts and transition states
(TSs) relevant to the title reaction. By comparison with the experimental H
atom yields, the preferred reaction pathways could be determined, placing
important constraints on the statistical calculations. The experimental and
theoretical work are in excellent agreement, predicting a negative temperature
dependence of the rate constant increasing from 2.2 x 10-11 cm3 molecule-1 s-1
at 296 K to 20.0 x 10-11 cm3 molecule-1 s-1 at 50 K. CH3 and HCO are found to
be the major products under our experimental conditions. As this reaction is
not considered in current astrochemical networks, its influence on interstellar
methanol abundances is tested using a model of dense interstellar clouds.
