The Photochemistry of Acetone: The Primary Decomposition of Acetone and Biacetyl Yields

In the photolysis of acetone at 265nm at 27°C the quantum yield of biacetyl has been determined to be 0.34 and the primary decomposition yield is evaluated to be about 0.68. The fraction of triplet acetone decomposed into methyl and acetyl radicals is estimated to be 0.14 at 313nm. The acetyl radicals undergo reaction to form biacetyl 50 times faster than decomposition to methyl radicals and carbon monoxide.