Primary process(es) in the mercury-photosensitized decomposition of dimethyl ether at 2537 Å

Abstract

The mercury-photosensitized decomposition of dimethyl ether has been studied at room temperature and at pressures ranging from 10 to 200 Torr.The formation of an excited dimethyl ether (DME) molecule has been verified by following the rates of formation of methane, ethane, and carbon monoxide with various ether pressures.The study of the variation of the quantum yield of molecular hydrogen formation with absorbed light intensity at high ether pressures has shown that the primary process involves the dissociation of ether molecules into hydrogen atoms and methoxy methyl radicals:[Formula: see text]The results presented in this paper indicate that the excited DME molecule can originate in a radical recombination between hydrogen atoms and methoxy methyl radicals.