Radiation chemistry of organic solutions

Abstract

From halogenated hydrocarbons, irradiated in organic solutions (alcohol, acetone) halogen acids can be extracted with water. The amount of irradiation products rises proportionally to the dose of radiation and is dependent on (i) the concentration of the solution, (ii) the number of halogen atoms in the compound, and (iii) the type of binding, The yields are about & to & that found in aqueous solutions, but are not influenced at all by the addition of large amounts of water. The relation between yield and concentration is exponential in form, rising to a saturation value. In compounds containing many halogen atoms, a proportional increase is also found. These results are discussed and compared with theoretical conceptions.

The Radiation Chemistry Of Organic Substances

“…Halides have been irradiated in solution (in water and in organic solvents) and have been found to give acids (442,443,444). The yield is not always high enough to be proof that a chain reaction is occurring, but one halide which was irradiated, chloral hydrate, gave hydrochloric acid with a yield up to G*(HC1) = 240, so that chain reactions are possible in aqueous solution as well in the pure state (18).…”

“…1,1 -Di (p-methylphenyl) -2,2,2-trichloroethane, 1, l-di(2,4-dimethylphenyl)-2,2,2-trichloroethane, 1, l-di(p-chlorophenyl)-2-chloroethene, -hexachlorocyclohexane, p-dichlorobenzene, hexachloroethane, and chloroform have been irradiated in aerated alcohol and acetone solutions with x-rays (440,441,442,443). In every case hydrochloric acid was produced in yield proportional to the dose, the yields in acetone solution being about 20 per cent less than those in alcohol.…”

“…Similarly with chlorobenzene there is some dechlorination, and attack of this kind probably explains the yields of formic acid from benzoic acid, to which reference was made above. Dehalogenation by irradiation in aqueous solution has also been observed in the following aromatic compounds: bromobenzene (and chlorobenzene), 0-and p-dichlorobenzene (439), 0-and p-dichlorophenol (443). It was claimed that hexachlorobenzene is not so dehalogenated (449), and this may indicate that the effective process necessitates the presence of a hydrogen atom attached to another carbon atom in the molecule.…”