What are combustion intermediates?

Combustion is a chemical reaction that produces heat and light. In addition to forming carbon dioxide and water, combustion involves the formation and consumption of intermediates that ultimately govern reactivity. Identification of the molecular structure of combustion intermediates provides critical insight necessary for modelling rates of chemical reactions of that produce heat used for power generation in the transportation sector, as well as the types and abundance of emissions produced from hydrocarbons and biofuels.