Photolysis of diethyl ether in the vapour phase by 184.9 nm radiation

Abstract

The products in the photolysis of diethyl ether (DEE) were methane, ethane, ethylene, propane, n-butane, ethanol, acetaldehyde, 2-ethoxybutane and 2,3-diethoxybutane (and formaldehyde), and their quantum yields were determined. An appreciable effect of DEE pressure on the quantum yields was not observed within the range 10 – 45 Torr. The effect of addition of nitric oxide, hydrogen iodide and hydrogen sulphide was studied. The dominant primary process is the fission of the C 2H 5OC 2H 5 bond and its primary quantum yield is 0.61±0.05. In addition, methyl radicals (and formaldehyde) are formed through the secondary decomposition of hot ethoxy radicals and/or the direct decomposition of excited DEE. The primary quantum yield of the methyl radicals is 0.20 ± 0.03. Whilst the sum of the quantum yields of the methyl and ethoxy radicals is 0.81 ± 0.07, that of the ethyl radicals is estimated to be 0.87 ± 0.08.