The 147 nm (8.4 eV) photolysis of gaseous C2H5I, n-C3H7I, and sec-C3H7I was investigated in the presence of and absence of HI. The main overall processes are: These dissociative processes occur mainly as a result of initial cleavage of the weak C? I bond, followed by decomposition of the internally excited alkyl radicals. In all cases, approximately 5-10% of the alkyl radicals thus formed do not undergo dissociation at pressures around 3-7 torr. There is also evidence for the elimination of HI as well as C? C cleavage in the primary dissociation. The former is indicated by deuterium labeling experiments and the formation of cyclopropane (Φ = 0.04) as a product in the photolysis of n-C3H7I. Because the processes listed above provide a constant source of H atoms whose quantum yield can be exactly determined, it was feasible to obtain accurate values for ka/kb: For thermally equilibrated H atoms (300 K), ka/kb is 0.44 ± 0.04, 0.57 ± 0.06, 0.95 ± 0.1, and 0.024 ± 0.01 for C2H5I, n-C3H7I, sec-C3H7I, and C2H5Br, respectively.
These dissociative processes occur mainly as a result of initial cleavage of the weak C? I bond, followed by decomposition of the internally excited alkyl radicals. In all cases, approximately 5-10% of the alkyl radicals thus formed do not undergo dissociation at pressures around 3-7 torr. There is also evidence for the elimination of HI as well as C? C cleavage in the primary dissociation. The former is indicated by deuterium labeling experiments and the formation of cyclopropane (Φ = 0.04) as a product in the photolysis of n-C3H7I. Because the processes listed above provide a constant source of H atoms whose quantum yield can be exactly determined, it was feasible to obtain accurate values for ka/kb: 