A study of alkyl radicals in the matrix of polycrystallinen-alkane irradiated at 77 K

To reveal the reasons for the previously found absence of end radicals upon γ-radiolysis ofn-heptane polycrystals, we performed quantum-chemical calculations (SCF-MO, RHF, 6-31G^* basis set) of then-heptane molecule and its four radicals. The energies of the crystal lattice were calculated by the atom-atom potential method. Comparison of the experimental and calculated data showed that the absence of the end radicals is not related to the intermolecular interaction in the crystals. The most probable reason for the selective radical formation upon radiolysis can be a transfer of the excitation energy within then-heptane molecule occurring before the radical formation.