cw far-infrared lasing in15NH3, stark resonantly pumped by a CO2 or N2O laser

CF₂ClCF₂Cl and ethyl acetate have absorption bands of similar width centered at the same frequency. Kinetics of the decompositions of these compounds by a cw CO₂ laser have been studied over a range of laser frequencies extending to 25 cm^?1 below band center. At constant translational temperature and pressure, the CF₂ClCF₂Cl rate constant changes by more than 200 with frequency, while the corresponding change for ethyl acetate is at most 3. The effect of laser frequency increases with increasing CF₂ClCF₂Cl pressure, while the reverse is true in ethyl acetate. Arrhenius plots show activation energies independent of both frequency and pressure.