Gases Produced during γ Irradiation of the Monobutylbenzenes

Abstract

The four isomeric monobutylbenzenes have been γ-irradiated and the gases produced have been analyzed by gas chromatography. The most abundant gaseous product is hydrogen. The relative yields of hydrogen indicate a relationship to the number of benzylic hydrogens in the starting butylbenzene. The most abundant gaseous hydrocarbon products are ${\rm C}_{3}\text{'}{\rm s}$ for n-butylbenzene, C1 and ${\rm C}_{2}\text{'}{\rm s}$ for sec-butylbenzene, ${\rm C}_{3}\text{'}{\rm s}$ and C1 for iso-butylbenzene, and C1 for tert-butylbenzene. The gaseous products indicate that reactions forming benzylic intermediates predominate.