The reactions of C-2(a(3)Pi(u)) radicals with a series of alkanes have been studied at room temperature and 6.5 torr total pressure using the pulsed laser photolysis/laser-induced fluorescence technique. C-2(a(3)Pi(u)) radicals were generated by photolysis of C2Cl4 with the focused output from the fourth harmonic of a Nd: YAG laser at 266 nm. The relative concentration of C-2(a(3)Pi(u)) radicals was monitored on the (0,0) band of the C-2(d(3)Pi(g)<--a(3)Pi(u)) transition at 516.5 nm by laser-induced fluorescence. From the analysis of the relative concentration-time behavior of C-2(a(3)Pi(u)) under pseudofirst-order conditions, the rate constants for the reactions of C-2(a(3)Pi(u)) with alkanes (C-1-C-8) were determined. The rate constant increases linearly with the increasing of the number of CH2 groups in the alkanes. The experimental results indicate that the reaction of C-2(a(3)Pi(u)) with small alkanes (C-1-C-8) follows the typical hydrogen abstraction process. Based on the correlation of the experimental results with the bond dissociation energy of the alkanes, the reactions of C-2(a(3)Pi(u)) with small alkanes likely proceed via the mechanism of hydrogen abstraction. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.