Beobachtung von Elementarprozessen an angeregten Molekülen IV. Über Verhältnisse ganzer kleiner Zahlen bei Dissoziationsprozessen von n-Butan

Abstract

Primary dissociation processes have been investigated on “isolated” excited n-butane. The excitation of the molecules results from electron impact in a glow discharge. The investigations yielded the following results: 1. Formation of new stable substances by rupture of one or two C—C-bonds and the following transfer of Η-atoms (intramolecular disproportionation). 2. These dissociation products can be explained quantitatively by a simple reaction scheme. 3. The observation of ratios of small whole numbers between analogous dissociation processes is taken as a basic for this reaction scheme. 4. These ratios are not identical for alternating current (A.C.) and for direct current (D.C.) glow discharges. A discontinuous variation is observed. 5. In spite of the different results for A.C. and D.C. discharges both results can be explained quantitatively by one reaction scheme. 6. According to this reaction scheme, a single excitation of the molecule is followed by the rupture of two C—C-bonds successively. These results indicate that the general appearance of ratios with small whole numbers and their discontinuous variation is a specific property of the molecular field.