Enhanced Yields of Labelled Ethylene from the Reaction of Recoil Tritium with Ethane

Abstract

Cipollini and Stoecklin have reported that the relative yield of labeled ethylene from the reaction of recoil tritium atoms with ethane is increased by a factor of ten by the addition of methyl chloride. This remarkable result is explained by proposing that a collision complex is formed between methyl chloride and an excited labelled ethane molecule. Unimolecular decomposition C/sub 2/HiT yields C/sub 2/H/sub 3/T + H/sub 2/ is via a high activation energy rou te in which four orbitals interact in phase in a cyclic manner. The addition of methyl chloride perrmits the in-phase cyclic interaction of six orbitals which is associated with a lower activation energy. Data from the system ethane--butane is also examined to see if similar transitory complexes could be formed between these molecules, again leading to enhanced ethylene-t formation from ethane. (GE)