Magnetic field dependence of the product yields of cycloheptanone photolysis in the dilute gas phase

The product yields of the gas-phase photolysis of cycloheptanone were measured in magnetic fields up to 10 kG. The magnetic-field effect is explained in terms of the radical pair model. A reaction mechanism is proposed that explains the magnetic field dependence, pressure dependence, and excitation enegy dependence of the gas-phase photochemistry of cycloheptanone.