The Radiation-Induced Exchange of Chlorine between Chloride and Trichloroacetic Acid

Abstract

Decompositions by ionizing radiation of simple carboxylic acids in aqueous solutions have been studied by several investigators. Garrison and co-workers (1-7) have studied the radiation-induced decompositions of acetic acid, formic acid, and glycine solutions under a variety of conditions. In general, the experimental results were adequately explained on the basis of free radical reactions involving H, OH, and H202 from solvent water. Hayon and Weiss (8) have studied the radiation(200-kv X-ray) induced decompositions of monochloroacetic and trichloroacetic acids. The products observed from monochloroacetic acid in dilute aqueous solutions which had been degassed prior to irradiation were chloride, formaldehyde, glyoxalic acid, hydrogen peroxide, hydrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide. Their results indicated that reactions 1 to 5 were involved in this decomposition. These reactions are analogous to those proposed for the decomposition of other simple carboxylic acids.