Isotope-selective IR multiphoton dissociation of CHClF2 in the presence of NO2

2 to the CHClF₂/He mixture irradiated by a Q-switched CO₂ laser leads to oxidation of the dissociation product according to the reaction: CF₂+NO₂→COF₂+NO. The resulting COF₂ with a ¹³C content near 50% is easy to convert to CO₂ or CO for further enrichment by a nonlaser process. We measured the dependence of the fraction of dimerised CF₂ on NO₂ pressure p_NO2 and the amount of NO₂ required to suppress dimerisation on the dissociation yield. Both agree with a kinetic model using known rate constants. For the range of the dissociation parameters (¹³CF₂ yield of 10% per pulse, isotope selectivity of 130) of practical interest, 95% of the CF₂ produced is oxidized at p_NO2≈1/2p_CHClF2. In the absence of NO₂, major (20%–35%) losses of CF₂ at the metal walls of the irradiation system were observed. Addition of NO₂ suppresses them. For comparison, we also used O₂ as a scavenger in CHClF₂ dissociation. NO₂ is by orders of magnitude more efficient. Received: 21 January 1997/Revised version: 23 March 1997