The photolysis of n-butyraldehyde in isooctane at 313 nm

The effects of aldehyde concentration, incident light intensity, and temperature on the quantum yields of reaction products were studied. Mechanisms for primary and secondary photochemical processes were suggested, and primary quantum yields as well as rate constant ratios were derived. Reversibility of intramolecular γ-hydrogen transfer and disproportionation of the radical pair formed in the reaction of an excited triplet and ground state molecule were shown to provide important pathways for radiationless decay of the triplet state.