The Mercury-photosensitized Decomposition of Neopentane at High Temperatures

Abstract

Abstract The mercury-photosensitized decomposition of neopentane has been investigated over the temperature range 25°C to 500°C. If the quenching of excited mercury atoms by neopentane molecules is assumed to occur both physically and chemically, as follows: (Remark: Graphics omitted.) it has been shown that k2>>k3 and that the quenching cross section of reaction is about 0.6 Å2, which is almost temperature independent, and E3\simeq4 kcal. Above 250°C, neopentyl radicals decompose to methyl radicals and isobutene molecules with an activation energy of 17±2 kcal.