Decomposition of chemically activated dimethylcyclopropane molecules vibrationally excited to various extent

The photolyses of ketene (at 313 and 280 nm) and diazirine at 313 nm in the presence of cis-butene-2 were studied. Vibrational relaxation of chemically activated dimethylcyclopropane was shown to occur as a multistep process, and 17 ± 4 kJ mol^?1 was obtained for the average energy transferred per collision with butene-2 collider. Activated cis-dimethylcyclopropane is formed in the reaction of singlet methylene and cis-butene-2 with broad energy distribution which originates from the energy partitioning in the photolytic act. About 30% of the energy released in the photolysis of the methylene source is carried by singlet methylene as vibrational energy at the time of reaction, and this fraction was found to be practically independent of the radical source.     

Chemically activated 1,1-dimethylcyclopropane from photolysis of isobutene–neopentane–diazomethane–oxygen mixtures

A study of the structural isomerization rate of chemically activated 1,1-dimethylcyclopropane from singlet methylene addition to the double bond of isobutene is reported. Singlet methylenes were produced from the 4358- and 3660-Å photolysis of diazomethane in the presence of added oxygen. Theoretical rates calculated via RRKM theory are in excellent agreement with experiment for calculations utilizing activated complex structures and critical energies consistent with known thermal Arrhenius parameters, and excitation energies consistent with previous determinations of ΔH(CH₂) + E*(CH₂) = 116.1 and 112.6 kcal/mole for diazomethane photolyses at 3660 and 4358 Å, respectively.     

CH2(1A1) from CH2N2 photolyses at 4358 and 3660 Å vibrational energy distributions upon reaction with cyclobutane

Approximate vibrational energy distribution for CH^*₂(¹A₁) from diazomethane photolyses at 4358 and 3660 Å have been determined to be reasonably broad. These distributions apply to CH^*₂(¹A₁) at the time of reaction with cyclobutane and were deduced from the internal energy distribution of the formed chemically activated methylcyclobutane. An apparent anomaly in the pressure dependence of the decompositions of CH₂(¹A₁) generated chemically molecules is explained. The anomaly pertains to the relative behavior of systems utilizing ketene and diazomethane photolyses as CH₂(¹A₁) sources. The explanation offered is that the vibrational energy distributions for CH^*₂(¹A₁) are narrow for ketene photolyses at 3340 or 3130 Å and broad for diazomethane photolyses at 4358 or 3660 Å.     

A study of product ratios in the direct (313 nm) and Hg-sensitized (254 nm) photodecomposition of 2-methylcyclohexanone in the gas phase

The photolysis of 2-methylcyclohexanone has been studied in the gas phase at 313 nm, mainly at 100°C, over a range of pressures. The Hg(6³P₁) photosensitized decomposition has also been investigated at 100°C. Under conditions of high excitation and/or little collisional quenching the major products are carbon monoxide and the hydrocarbons: 1-hexene, trans-and cis-2-hexene and methylcyclopentane, with minor aldehyde formation. The various product ratios are presented in tabular form. At lower excitation energies, and with increased collisional deactivation, trans- and cis-5-heptenal become important products, and the trans/cis aldehyde ratio is seen to be slightly pressure dependent when all the systems are compared. Similarly, there is a small pressure dependence for the Σ hexenes/methylcyclopentane ratio. From experiments at 250°C the temperature dependence of this ratio was established, and for thermalized hexane-1,5-diyl an activation energy difference (E_d ? E_c) = ?1.3 kcal mol^?1 has been determined for the disproportionation and combination of the biradical. The mechanism for the photolysis is discussed in terms of triplet state photochemistry and biradical intermediates as developed, in particular, by Frey and coworkers, this Journal, 16 , 1337 (1984).     

Kinetic study of chemically activated chlorocyclopropane

Chlorocyclopropane has been produced by addition of CH₂(¹A₁) and CH₂(³B₁) to chloroethene. CH₂ was generated by the photolysis of ketene at 313 and 366 nm. Chlorocyclopropane was formed in a chemically activated state, had an energy content between 378 and 427 kJ/mol, and reacted in three parallel channels to 3-chloropropene, cis- and trans-1-chloropropene. As secondary reactions elimination of HCl from the chemically activated primary products occurred to form allene and propyne. The apparent rate constants for the isomerization and elimination reactions are reported. The results of RRKM calculations including distribution functions for the activated chlorocyclopropane and a stepladder model for the deactivation support the proposed reaction scheme.     

The molecular structures of cis-3-hexene and trans-3-hexene in the gas phase by electron diffraction and molecular mechanical calculations

The molecular structures of cis-3-hexene and of trans-3-hexene in the gas phase have been determined by electron diffraction combined with molecular mechanical calculations. For cis-3-hexene the data indicate the presence of the (+ac, +ac) and the (?ac, +ac) forms. In trans-3 -hexene three rotamers were observed, with an energy sequence E(+ac, +ac) ≈ E(?ac, +ac) < E(ac, sp). The refined r_α⁰-structural parameters are: cis-3-hexene: C-H = 1.073 Å, CC = 1.330 Å, C(sp²)-C(sp³) = 1.505 Å, ∠CCH(in CH₂) = 111.1°, ∠CCC = 111.4°, ∠(CC-C) = 129.1° trans-3-hexene: C-H = 1.078 Å, CC = 1.342 Å, C(sp²)-C(sp³) = 1.506 Å, ∠CCH(in CH₂) = 109.3°, ∠CCC = 112.8, ∠CC—C = 124.1°The agreement between calculated and experimental geometries and vibrational amplitudes is good.     

Photochemistry of the SO2, 2-pentene system at 3660 Å

The photolysis of SO₂ in the presence of cis- and trans-2-pentene has been investigated at 3660 Å and 22°C. Quantum yield measurements of the SO₂ photosensitized conversion of one isomer into the other are consistent with a mechanism in which the only participating excited electronic state of SO₂ is the SO₂(³B₁) state. Quantum yield measurements were made for a variation in P_SO2/P_isomer reactant ratios of 4.01–283 and 57.5–351 for the cis and trans isomers, respectively. The data are consistent with a mechanism in which a (SO₂-olefin)³ collision intermediate is the precursor to the photosensitized isomeric products. The intermediate undergoes unimolecular decay to yield the cis and trans isomers with probabilities of 0.26 ± 0.05 and 0.69 ± 0.04, respectively. Estimates of the quenching rate constants at 22°C for removal of SO₂(³B₁) molecules by cis- and trans-2-pentene are (0.633 ± 0.125) × 10¹¹ l./mole/sec and (1.00 ± 0.27) × 10¹¹ l./mole/sec, respectively. An experimentally determined photostationary composition, [trans-2-pentene]/[cis-2-pentene] = 2.3 ± 0.1 was in fair agreement with that of 1.7 ± 0.7 as predicted from kinetic data derived in this study.     

Abstraction by hydrogen atoms from ethylene,propylene, butene-1, and cis- and trans-butene-2

The position of abstraction by H atoms from ethylene, propylene, butene-1, and cis- and trans-butene-2 and the rates of abstraction relative to addition have been measured at 25°C. Only allylic abstraction was observed. From ethylene, abstraction relative to addition was ≤3×10^?4. For propylene, butene-1, cis-butene-2, and trans-butene-2, abstraction occurred on 0.2%, 1.6%, 1.5%, and 0.9% of the reactive encounters, if dis-proprotionation-combination ratios for allyl and alkyl radicals are similar to those for alkyl–alkyl pairs.     

Chemically activated methylcyclobutane exothermicity of singlet methylene reactions and the heat of formation of singlet methylene

The specific decomposition rates of chemically activated methylcyclobutane produced from CH₂(¹A₁) reaction with cyclobutane have been determined. CH₂(¹A₁)was produced from ketene photolyses at 3340 and 3130 Å and from diazomethane photolyses at 4358 and 3660 Å. Comparisons of the excitation energies of the methylcyclobutane, determined by RRKM theory calculations, and the experimental results for the ketene systems, with thermochemically predicted maximum excitation energies, favor an Arrhenius A factor in the range of 5 × 10¹⁵ to 1 × 10¹⁶ sec^?1 for methylcyclobutane. This result is consistent with (1) the comparison of RRKM theory calculations and the experimental unimolecular falloff for methylcyclobutane, (2) the comparison of experimental A factors for cyclobutane and other alkylcyclobutane decompositions, and (3) two out of three reported experimental A factors for methylcyclobutane. An analysis of these and previous results leads to a value of the CH₂(¹A₁) ? CH₂(³B₁) energy splitting of 9±3 kcal/mole.     

Polymerization of butene-2 with isomerization to butene-1

An attempt has been made to prepare a high molecular weight isotactic polybutene-1 from cis- or trans-butene-2. Polymerization of butene-2 did not occur due to the steric effect of the substituents. In the presence of TiCl₃–Al(C₂H₅)₃ catalyst, however, both butene-2 monomers were found to polymerize at a slower rate than butene-1 and to give polymers consisting of the repeating unit of butene-1. From the gas chromatographic determination of the isomer distribution of the butenes recovered after the polymerization, it was found that the butenes isomerized, in the presence of the catalyst system containing TiCl₃, to approach the thermodynamic equilibrium mixture of butene-1, cis-butene-2, and trans-butene-2. It was also found that the rates of polymerization of butene-2 for the catalyst systems used were proportional to the isomerization rates. These results show that butene-2 isomerizes first to butene-1 which has less steric hindrance and then polymerizes as butene-1, through ordinary vinyl polymerization by a coordinated anionic mechanism. This type of polymerization was observed in some other linear β-olefins such as n-pentene-2 and n-hexene-2.     

The photolysis of SO2 at 3130 Å in the presence of cis- and trans-2-pentene

The photolysis of SO₂ at 3130 Å, FWHM = 165 Å, and 22°C has been investigated in the presence of cis- and trans-2-pentene. Quantum yields for the SO₂ photosensitized isomerization of one isomer to the other have been made for a variation in the [SO₂]/[C₅H₁₀] ratio of 3.41–366 for cis-2-C₅H₁₀ and of 1.28–367 for trans-2-C₅H₁₀. A kinetic analysis of each of these systems permitted new estimates to be made for the SO₂ collisionally induced intersystem crossing ratio at 3130 Å from SO₂(¹B₁) to SO₂(³B₁). The estimates of k_1a/(k_1a + k_1b) obtained are 0.12 ± 0.01 and 0.12 ± 0.02 (two different kinetic analyses in the cis-2-C₅H₁₀ study) and 0.20 ± 0.05 and 0.20 ± 0.04 (two different kinetic analyses in the trans-2-C₅H₁₀ study). Collisionally induced intersystem crossing ratios of k_2a/(k_2a + k_2b) = 0.51 ± 0.10 and k_3a/(k_3a + k_3b) = 0.62 ± 0.12 were obtained for cis- and trans-2-pentene, respectively. Quenching rate constants at 22°C for removal of SO₂(³B₁) molecules by cis- and trans-2-C₅H₁₀ were estimated as (1.00 ± 0.29) × 10¹¹ l./mole·sec and (0.857 ± 0.160) × 10¹¹ l./mole/sec, respectively. Prolonged irradiations, extrapolated to infinite irradiation times, for mixtures initially containing SO₂ and pure isomer, either the cis or trans, yielded a photostationary composition of [trans-2-pentene]/[cis-2-pentene] = 2.1 ± 0.1.     

Decomposition of chemically activated ethyltrimethylgermane the arrhenius A-factors for rupture of group IVA—methyl bonds

The decomposition rate of chemically activated ethyltrimethylgermane from the reaction ¹CH₂ + (CH₃)₄Ge, where ¹CH₂ was produced from diazomethane photolysis at 3660 Å, is 8.6 × 10⁵ sec^?1. This result combined with RRKM theory and critical energy estimates yields an Arrhenius A factor of log[A (sec^?1)/methyl] = 14.7 ± 0.8 for methyl rupture from germanium. Log A values for methyl rupture from carbon, silicon, and germanium linearly correlate with the vibrational-rotational entropies of the corresponding tetramethyls. Extrapolation predicts log[A (sec^?1)/methyl] = 14.4 and 14.3 for methyl rupture from tin and lead, respectively.     

The photolysis of SO2 at 3080 Å in the presence of cis- and trans-1,2-difluoroethylene

The photolysis of SO₂ at 3080 Å, FWHM = 150 Å, and 22°C has been investigated in the presence of cis- and trans-C₂F₂H₂. Quantum yield measurements for the photosensitized isomerization of cis-C₂F₂H₂ to trans-C₂F₂H₂ have been made for a variation in the [SO₂]/[cis-C₂F₂H₂] ratio from 0.992 to 253. The results fit a mechanism which is consistent with the SO₂(³B₁) state being the reactive excited state of sulfur dioxide. A mechanism employing only the SO₂(¹B₁) and SO₂(³B₁) excited states is quite satisfactory to rationalize the data. A value for the SO₂ collisionally induced intersystem crossing efficiency from SO₂(¹B₁) to SO₂(³B₁) of 0.35 ± 0.14 was estimated while the cis-C₂F₂H₂ efficiency was found to be 0.030 ± 0.012. The rate constant at 22°C for the removal of SO₂(³B₁) molecules by cis-C₂F₂H₂ was found to be (1.43 ± 0.13) × 10¹⁰1./mole · sec. A photostationary composition, [cis]/[trans] = 1.0 ± 0.1, was found from prolonged irradiations of SO₂ in the presence of the cis and trans isomers.     

Wavelength dependence of the quantum efficiencies of the primary processes in formaldehyde photolysis at 25°C

The quantum efficiencies of the primary processes in formaldehyde photolysis (?₁ and ?₂) were determined as a function of wavelength in the range from 2890 to 3380 Å and at 25°C: CH₂O + hν → H + HCO (1); CH₂O + hν → H₂ + CO (2). The estimates of ?₂ were derived from Φ_H2 values obtained in photolyses of CH₂O-isobutene mixtures at high isobutene concentrations where H-atom scavenging was essentially complete. Values of ?₁ + ?₂, obtained from the Φ_H2 values from the pure CH₂O photolyses, were very near unity at all but the longest wavelengths employed: Φ_H2 = ?₁ + ?₂ = 1.02 (2930 Å); 1.12 (3130 Å); 1.06 (3150 Å); 1.01 (3250 Å); 1.0 (3335 Å); 0.75 (3380 Å). Our results showed that the onset of photodissociation of CH₂O by process (1) was at 3370 ± 10 Å; this corresponds to D(H-CHO) = 84.8 plusmn; 0.3 kcal/mol. The values of ?₁ increased regularly with decreasing wavelength from 0 at 3370 Å to ～0.7 at 3175 Å. Little further variation in ?₁ occurred from 3175 to 2890 Å. For experiments at λ = 3300 Å, the addition of CO₂ (～300 torr) reduced ?₂, while the effect on ?₁ appeared to be small. The present results coupled with the solar irradiance estimates of Peterson [24] and the extinction data for CH₂O from McQuigg and Calvert [7] were used to make new estimates of the apparent first-order rate constants (min^?;1 × 10³) of process (1) in the lower atmosphere at various solar zenith angles (in parentheses): 2.31 (0°); 2.17 (20°); 1.71 (40°); 0.92 (60°); and 0.17 (78°). The corresponding first-order rate constants (min^?1 × 10³) for solar light absorption by CH₂O in the lower atmosphere are 7.74 (0°); 7.38 (20°); 6.18 (40°); 3.80 (60°); and 0.96 (78°).     

The cycloaddition of ethylene to butene-2. I. Stereochemistry of the reaction

The rate of the thermal cycloaddition of ethylene to cis and trans butene-2 has been measured at 693°K and at pressures of about 12 atmospheres. The ratio of trans- to cis-1,2-dimethylcyclobutane from the reaction of trans-butene-2 with ethylene was 5.1, obtained from the initial rates of formation of the products. Similarly, the ratio of cis- to trans-1,2-dimethyl-cyclobutane from the reaction of cis-butene-2 with ethylene was 2.8. The results show that the cycloaddition reactions are the reverse of the decomposition reactions of the dimethyl-cyclobutanes and may be interpreted in terms of a biradical intermediate. Several ratios of rate constants have been measured as well as the rate constants for the reaction of the olefins to form the intermediate biradical.     

Syntheses of Unique Bicyclophostones and Unexpected Difference in the Reaction of Lawesson's Reagent vs. P2S5 with Cis-Bicyclophostone (1)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to synthesize trans-l and determine the equilibriurr constant with cis-1. Oniy the synthesis¹ and x-ray structure² of the cis isomer have bcen reported. Four prior synthetic routes to make the vans isomer³ gave only cis product. For example, intrarmolecular ring closure of the cis or trains isomers of 4 (R= (CH₂)₃OH) with LiH or thermal closure of the cis or trans 4 (R= (CH₂)₂) gave only cis-1. Since both iosmers of 1,8-dioxabicyclo[4.4.0] decane are known and readily equilibrate (57% cis and 43% trans), the apparent inaccessibility of trans-1 attracted our attention. Thc preparation of trans-1 was achieved by treatment of cis-1 with Lawesson's reagent (LR) to provide cis-2. followed by oxidation with m-chloroperbenzoic acid/trifluoroacetic acid to give a 5:1 mixture of cis:trans 1, respectively. An unexpected formation of the sulfur analogue of 1 was observed on treatment of cis-1 with P₂S₅/pyridine at reflux temperatures to give a 1.6:1 mixture of cis:trans 3, respectively. Thermal quilibration of 1 at 204°C provided an equilibrium ratio of 99.5% cis and 0.5% of the trans isomer. However, equilibration of 3 at 250°C led to 82.2:17.8 ratio in favor of the cis isomr. These results are consistent with semiemperical MO calculations. The stereochemical outcome on treatment of 4 with LR was also investigated. X-ray structures for six compounds: trans-1, cis-2, cis and trans-3; cis-4 (R=Ph), and cis-5, (R = Ph) wen determined.     

Kinetics of the reactions of cyclopropane derivatives. V. The gas-phase unimolecular reactions of 1 α-chloro-2α,3α-dimethylcyclopropane and 1α-chloro-2α,3β-dimethylcyclopropane

Thermolysis of the “all-cis” compound 1α-chloro-2α,3α-dimethylcyclopropane (A) at 550–607 K and 6–115 torr is a first-order homogeneous non-radical-chain process giving penta-1,3-diene (PD) and HCl as products. The Arrhenius parameters are log₁₀A(sec^?1) = 13.92 ± 0.08 and E = 199.6 ± 0.9 kJ/mol. The isomer with trans-methyl groups, 1α-chloro-2α,3β-dimethylcyclopropane (B) reacts by two parallel first-order processes giving as observed products trans-4-chloropent-2-ene (4CP) and PD + HCl, with log₁₀A(sec^?1) = 14.6 and 13.8, respectively, and E = 199.5 and 190.2 kJ/mol, respectively. The 4CP undergoes secondary decomposition to PD + HCl (as investigated previously). Comparison of the results for compounds (A) and (B) with those for other gas-phase and solution reactions leads to the conclusion that the gas-phase thermolyses proceed by rate-determining ring opening to form olefins which may decompose further by thermal or chemically activated reactions, and that the ring opening is a semiionic electrocyclic reaction in which alkyl groups in the 2,3-positions trans to the migrating chlorine semianion move apart, with appropriate consequences for the rate of reaction and the stereochemistry of the products.     

Darstellung,Kristallstrukturen, Schwingungsspektren und Normalkoordinatenanalyse von vier bindungsisomeren Tetrachlorodirhodanoosmaten(IV)

Preparation, Crystal Structures, Vibrational Spectra, and Normal Coordinate Analysis of Four Linkage Isomeric Tetrachlorodirhodanoosmates(IV) By treatment of cis- or trans-[OsCl₄I₂]^2? with (SCN)₂ in dichloromethane the linkage isomers cis-[OsCl₄(NCS)₂]^2? ( 1 ), trans-[OsCl₄(NCS)(SCN)]^2? ( 2 ), cis-[OsCl₄(NCS)(SCN)]^2? ( 3 ) and trans-[OsCl₄(SCN)₂]^2? ( 4 ) are formed which have been separated by ion exchange chromatography on diethylaminoethyl cellulose. The X-Ray structure determinations on single crystals of cis-(Ph₄As)₂[OsCl₄(NCS)₂] (triclinic, space group P1 , a = 10.019(5), b = 11.702(5), c = 21.922(5) Å, α = 83.602(5)°, β = 85.718(5)°, γ = 73.300(5)°, Z = 2), trans-(Ph₄As)₂[OsCl₄ · (NCS)(SCN)] (monoclinic, space group P2₁/c, a = 18.025(5), b = 11.445(5), c = 23.437(5) Å, β = 94.208(5)°, Z = 4), cis-(Ph₄As)₂[OsCl₄(NCS)(SCN)] (triclinic, space group P1 , a = 10.579(5), b = 11.682(5), c = 22.557(5) Å, α = 81.073(5)°, β = 85.807(5)°, γ = 87.677(5)°, Z = 2) and trans-(Ph₄As)₂ · [OsCl₄(SCN)₂] (triclinic, space group P1 , a = 10.615(5), b = 11.691(5), c = 11.907(5) Å, α = 111.314(5)°, β = 96.718(5)°, γ = 91.446(5)°, Z = 1) reveal the complete ordering of the complex anions. The via N or S coordinated thiocyanate groups are located nearly direct above one of the cis-positioned Cl ligands with Os? N? C angles of 171.2° and 174.3° ( 1 ), 162.3° ( 2 ), 172° ( 3 ) and Os? S? C angles of 108.3° ( 2 ), 105.7° ( 3 ) and 105.5° ( 4 ). Using the molecular parameters of the X-Ray determinations the low temperature (10 K) IR and Raman spectra of the (n-Bu₄N) salts of all four linkage isomers are assigned by normal coordinate analyses based on a modified valence force field. The valence force constants are f_d(OsN) = 1.59 ( 1 ), 1.67 ( 2 ), 1.60 ( 3 ) and f_d(OsS) = 1.27 ( 2 ), 1.31 ( 3 ) and 1.32 mdyn Å^?1 ( 4 ). Taking into account increments of the trans influence a good agreement between observed and calculated frequencies is achieved.     

Dimolybdenum Complexes Containing Pairs of Bridging Diphosphine and Carboxylate Ligands. Synthesis and Structures of trans-Mo2(O2CCH3)2(μ-dppa)2(BF4)2 and trans-Mo2X2(O2C(CH2)nCH3)2(μ-dppa)2 (n = 2, 10 or 12; X = Cl or Br; dppa = N,N-Bis(diphenylphosphino)amine)

The red complex trans-Mo₂(O₂CCH₃)₂(μ-dppa)₂(BF₄)₂, 1 , was prepared by reaction of [Mo₂(O₂CCH₃)₂(CH₃CN)₆][BF₄]₂ with dppa (dppa = Ph₂PN(H)PPh₂) in THF. The reactions of Mo₂(O₂C(CH₂)_nCH₃)₄ with dppa and (CH₃)₃SiX (X = Cl or Br) afforded the complexes trans-Mo₂X₂(O₂C(CH₂)_nCH₃)₂(μ-dppa)₂ (X = Cl, n = 2, 2; X = Br, n = 2, 3; X = Cl, n = 10, 4 ; X = Cl, n = 12, 5 ). Their UV-vis, IR and ³¹P{¹H}-NMR spectra have been recorded and the structures of 1, 2 and 3 have been determined. Crystal data for 1 : space group P2₁/n, a = 12.243(1) Å, b = 17.222(1) Å, c = 13.266(1) Å, β = 95.529(1)°, V = 2784.1(6) ų, Z = 2, with final residuals R = 0.0509 and Rw = 0.0582. Crystal data for 24CH₃Cl₂: space group P2₁/n, a = 13.438(1) Å, b = 19.276(1) Å, c = 14.182(1) Å, β = 111.464(1)°, V = 3418.9(6) ų, Z = 2, with final residuals R = 0.0492 and Rw = 0.0695. Crystal data for 3·4CH₂Cl₂: space group P2₁/n, a= 13.579(1) Å, b = 19.425(1) Å, c = 14.199(1) Å, β = 111.881(2)°, V = 3475.6(7) ų, Z = 2, with final residuals R = 0.0703 and Rw = 0.0851. Comparison of the structural data shows that the effect of the axial ligand on weakening the Mo-Mo bond strength is X^? > CH₃CN > BF₄^?. The T_m values are 121.7 °C for 2 , 111.1 °C for 3 and 91.5 °C for 5 , respectively.     

The SO2(3B1) photosensitized isomerization of cis- and trans-1,2-difluoroethylene

Quantum yield measurements for the SO₂(³B₁) photosensitized isomerization of cis-1,2-difluoroethylene have been made at 3712 Å and 22°C. The [SO₂]/[cis-C₂F₂H₂] ratio was varied from 47.4 to 455 and the quantum yield measurements over this variation of concentration ratios were consistent with a mechanism in which SO₂(³B₁) molecules and the cis isomer form a collision intermediate which decomposes with a probability of 0.42 ± 0.17 and 0.58 ± 0.17 of producing trans- and cis-1,2-difluoroethylene, respectively. When SO₂ was subjected to prolonged irradiations in the presence of initially either pure cis- or pure trans-1,2-difluoroethylene, a photostationary composition, [cis]/[trans] = 1.0 ± 0.2, was obtained. The rate constant at 22°C for removal of SO₂(³B₁) molecules by cis-1,2-difluoroethylene was estimated to be (1.72 ± 0.72) × 10¹⁰ 1./mole · sec.