Quantum yields and energy partitioning in the ultraviolet photodissociation of 1,2 dibromo-tetrafluoroethane (Halon-2402)

Abstract

The photodissociation of 1,2 dibromo-tetrafluoroethane (Halon-2402) has been investigated at 193 nm using photofragment translational spectroscopy with vacuum ultraviolet ionization and at 193, 233, and 266 nm using state-selected translational spectroscopy with resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization. The product branching ratios, angular distributions, and translational energy distributions were measured at these wavelengths, providing insight into the ultraviolet photodissociation dynamics of CF2BrCF2Br. The total bromine atom quantum yields were found to be 1.9±0.1 at both 193 and 233 nm and 1.4±0.1 at 266 nm. The first C–Br bond dissociation energy was determined to be 69.3 kcal/mol from ab initio calculations. The second C–Br bond dissociation energy was determined to be 16±2 kcal/mol by modeling of the bromine quantum yield. In addition, variational Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus theory was used to calculate the secondary dissociation rates for a range of dissociation energies above threshold. These results suggest that CF2CF2Br photofragments with sufficient internal energies will undergo secondary dissociation prior to collisional stabilization under atmospheric conditions. Based on the measured translational energy distributions and product branching ratios, a model is proposed to describe the wavelength-dependent bromine quantum yield and the implications of these results to atmospheric chemistry are discussed.