Photolysis Of Acetone Research Articles

Kinetics of three commercial textile dyes decomposition by UV/H2O2 and UV/acetone processes: An experimental comparative study and DFT calculations

Acetone photolysis was investigated and compared with the UV/H2O2 process for the removal of three commercial textile dyes, Reactive Red 184 (RR184), Reactive Orange 4 (RO4), and Direct Red 80 (DR80), in aqueous solution at 254 nm, pH = 6.5–6.8, and T = 20 ± 2 °C. The removal efficiency of RR184, RO4, and DR80 by UV/H2O2 was 35 %, 59 %, and 69 %, respectively, whereas UV/acetone exhibited a removal efficiency of 81 %, 99 %, and 88 %, within 30 min ([Dye]0 = 0.1 mM and [acetone]0 = [H2O2]0 = 50 mM). However, as the initial doses of H2O2 and acetone were increased, the decolorization increased, and the experimental kinetic data always agreed with the pseudo-first-order reaction model (R2 = 0.94–0.99). Additionally, UV/acetone was consistently shown to be significantly more efficient than UV/H2O2 under all conditions tested. For instance, the rate constant ratios kUV/acetone/kUV/H2O2 are 3.19, 1.95, and 1.67 for RR184, RO4, and DR80, respectively ([Dye]0 = 0.1 mM and [acetone]0 = [H2O2]0 = 50 mM). Scavenging tests using specific probes revealed that •OH and •CH3 radicals were the main responsible for dyes degradation (greater than80 %) in the UV/H2O2 and UV/acetone processes, respectively. In both systems, the dyes' reactivity order was found to be RO4 > DR80 > RR184, indicating that chemical structure is an important factor in evaluating the efficiency of the degradation process. This reactivity order was supported by the density functional theory (DFT)-based thermodynamic calculations used to explain the HO•-initiated degradation of the studied azo dyes in the UV/H2O2 process.

The dynamics of CO production from the photolysis of acetone across the whole S1 ← S0 absorption spectrum: Roaming and triple fragmentation pathways.

The unimolecular photodissociation dynamics of acetone spanning the entire S1 ← S0 absorption spectrum have been reinvestigated, with a focus on mechanisms that produce CO. At excitation wavelengths of λ > 305.8 nm, all photoproducts are formed on the S0 state after internal conversion. A roaming mechanism forming C2H6 + CO is active in the window λ = 311.2-305.8 nm. From λ = 305.8to262 nm, little or no CO is produced with the photochemistry dominated by the Norrish-type I C-C bond cleavage on the lowest excited triplet state, T1. At higher energy (λ < 262 nm), an increasing fraction of CH3CO radicals from the primary reaction have sufficient internal energy to spontaneously decompose to CH3 + CO. A new model is presented to account for the kinetic energy distribution of the secondary CH3 radical, allowing us to determine the height of the energetic barrier to CH3CO decomposition as 68 ± 4 kJ mol-1, which lies midway between previous measurements. The fraction of CO from triple fragmentation rises smoothly from 260 to 248nm. We see no evidence of the return of roaming, or any other S0 reaction, in this higher energy region of the first electronic absorption band.

An intercomparison of CH&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;3&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;O&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;2&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt; measurements by fluorescence assay by gas expansion and cavity ring-down spectroscopy within HIRAC (Highly Instrumented Reactor for Atmospheric Chemistry)

Abstract. Simultaneous measurements of CH3O2 radical concentrations have been performed using two different methods in the Leeds HIRAC (Highly Instrumented Reactor for Atmospheric Chemistry) chamber at 295 K and in 80 mbar of a mixture of 3:1 He∕O2 and 100 or 1000 mbar of synthetic air. The first detection method consisted of the indirect detection of CH3O2 using the conversion of CH3O2 into CH3O by excess NO with subsequent detection of CH3O by fluorescence assay by gas expansion (FAGE). The FAGE instrument was calibrated for CH3O2 in two ways. In the first method, a known concentration of CH3O2 was generated using the 185 nm photolysis of water vapour in synthetic air at atmospheric pressure followed by the conversion of the generated OH radicals to CH3O2 by reaction with CH4∕O2. This calibration can be used for experiments performed in HIRAC at 1000 mbar in air. In the second method, calibration was achieved by generating a near steady state of CH3O2 and then switching off the photolysis lamps within HIRAC and monitoring the subsequent decay of CH3O2, which was controlled via its self-reaction, and analysing the decay using second-order kinetics. This calibration could be used for experiments performed at all pressures. In the second detection method, CH3O2 was measured directly using cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) using the absorption at 7487.98 cm−1 in the A←X (ν12) band with the optical path along the ∼1.4 m chamber diameter. Analysis of the second-order kinetic decays of CH3O2 by self-reaction monitored by CRDS has been used for the determination of the CH3O2 absorption cross section at 7487.98 cm−1, both at 100 mbar of air and at 80 mbar of a 3:1 He∕O2 mixture, from which σCH3O2=(1.49±0.19)×10-20 cm2 molecule−1 was determined for both pressures. The absorption spectrum of CH3O2 between 7486 and 7491 cm−1 did not change shape when the total pressure was increased to 1000 mbar, from which we determined that σCH3O2 is independent of pressure over the pressure range 100–1000 mbar in air. CH3O2 was generated in HIRAC using either the photolysis of Cl2 with UV black lamps in the presence of CH4 and O2 or the photolysis of acetone at 254 nm in the presence of O2. At 1000 mbar of synthetic air the correlation plot of [CH3O2]FAGE against [CH3O2]CRDS gave a gradient of 1.09±0.06. At 100 mbar of synthetic air the FAGE–CRDS correlation plot had a gradient of 0.95±0.024, and at 80 mbar of 3:1 He∕O2 mixture the correlation plot gradient was 1.03±0.05. These results provide a validation of the FAGE method to determine concentrations of CH3O2.

Peroxy radical measurements by ethane – nitric oxide chemical amplification and laser-induced fluorescence during the IRRONIC field campaign in a forest in Indiana

Abstract. Peroxy radicals were measured in a mixed deciduous forest atmosphere in Bloomington, Indiana, USA, during the Indiana Radical, Reactivity and Ozone Production Intercomparison (IRRONIC) during the summer of 2015. Total peroxy radicals ([XO2]≡[HO2]+Σ[RO2]) were measured by a newly developed technique involving chemical amplification using nitric oxide (NO) and ethane (C2H6) followed by NO2 detection by cavity-attenuated phase-shift spectroscopy (hereinafter referred to as ECHAMP – Ethane CHemical AMPlifier). The sum of hydroperoxy radicals (HO2) and a portion of organic peroxy radicals ([HO2*]=[HO2]+Σαi[RiO2], 0&lt;α&lt;1) was measured by the Indiana University (IU) laser-induced fluorescence–fluorescence assay by gas expansion instrument (LIF-FAGE). Additional collocated measurements include concentrations of NO, NO2, O3, and a wide range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and meteorological parameters. XO2 concentrations measured by ECHAMP peaked between 13:00 and 16:00 local time (LT), with campaign average concentrations of 41±15 ppt (1σ) at 14:00 LT. Daytime concentrations of isoprene averaged 3.6±1.9 ppb (1σ), whereas average concentrations of NOx ([NO] + [NO2]) and toluene were 1.2 and 0.1 ppb, respectively, indicating a low impact from anthropogenic emissions at this site. We compared ambient measurements from both instruments and conducted a calibration source comparison. For the calibration comparison, the ECHAMP instrument, which is primarily calibrated with an acetone photolysis method, sampled the output of the LIF-FAGE calibration source which is based on the water vapor photolysis method and, for these comparisons, generated a 50 %–50 % mixture of HO2 and either butane or isoprene-derived RO2. A bivariate fit of the data yields the relation [XO2]ECHAMP=(0.88±0.02;[HO2]+[RO2])IU_cal+(6.6±4.5) ppt. This level of agreement is within the combined analytical uncertainties for the two instruments' calibration methods. A linear fit of the daytime (09:00–22:00 LT) 30 min averaged [XO2] ambient data with the 1 min averaged [HO2*] data (one point per 30 min) yields the relation [XO2]=(1.08±0.05)[HO2*]-(1.4±0.3). Day-to-day variability in the [XO2]/[HO2*] ratio was observed. The lowest [XO2]/[HO2*] ratios between 13:00 and 16:00 LT were 0.8 on 13 and 18 July, whereas the highest ratios of 1.1 to 1.3 were observed on 24 and 25 July – the same 2 d on which the highest concentrations of isoprene and ozone were observed. Although the exact composition of the peroxy radicals during IRRONIC is not known, zero-dimensional photochemical modeling of the IRRONIC dataset using two versions of the Regional Atmospheric Chemistry Mechanism (RACM2 and RACM2-LIM1) and the Master Chemical Mechanism (MCM 3.2 and MCM 3.3.1) all predict afternoon [XO2]/[HO2*] ratios of between 1.2 and 1.5. Differences between the observed ambient [XO2]/[HO2*] ratio and that predicted with the 0-D modeling can be attributed to deficiencies in the model, errors in one of the two measurement techniques, or both. Time periods in which the ambient ratio was less than 1 are definitely caused by measurement errors (including calibration differences), as such ratios are not physically meaningful. Although these comparison results are encouraging and demonstrate the viability in using the new ECHAMP technique for field measurements of peroxy radicals, further research investigating the overall accuracy of the measurements and possible interferences from both methods is warranted.

Kinetics of the Reaction of CH3O2 Radicals with OH Studied over the 292-526 K Temperature Range.

Reaction of methyl peroxy radicals with hydroxyl radicals, CH3O2 + OH → CH3O + HO2 (1a) and CH3O2 + OH → CH2OO + H2O (1b) was studied using pulsed laser photolysis coupled to transient UV-vis absorption spectroscopy over the 292-526 K temperature range and pressure 1 bar (bath gas He). Hydroxyl radicals were generated in the reaction of electronically excited oxygen atoms O((1)D), produced in the photolysis of N2O at 193.3 nm, with H2O. Methyl peroxy radicals were generated in the reaction of methyl radicals, CH3, produced in the photolysis of acetone at 193.3 nm, and subsequent reaction of CH3 with O2. Temporal profiles of OH were monitored via transient absorption of light from a DC discharge H2O/Ar low-pressure resonance lamp at ca. 308 nm. The absolute intensity of the photolysis light was determined by accurate in situ actinometry based on the ozone formation in the presence of molecular oxygen. The overall rate constant of the reaction is k1a+1b = (8.4 ± 1.7) × 10(-11)(T/298 K)(-0.81) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) (292-526 K). The branching ratio of channel 1b at 298 K is less than 5%.

Investigation of potential interferences in the detection of atmospheric RO&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;x&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt; radicals by laser-induced fluorescence under dark conditions

Abstract. Direct detection of highly reactive, atmospheric hydroxyl radicals (OH) is widely accomplished by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) instruments. The technique is also suitable for the indirect measurement of HO2 and RO2 peroxy radicals by chemical conversion to OH. It requires sampling of ambient air into a low-pressure cell, where OH fluorescence is detected after excitation by 308 nm laser radiation. Although the residence time of air inside the fluorescence cell is typically only on the order of milliseconds, there is potential that additional OH is internally produced, which would artificially increase the measured OH concentration. Here, we present experimental studies investigating potential interferences in the detection of OH and peroxy radicals for the LIF instruments of Forschungszentrum Jülich for nighttime conditions. For laboratory experiments, the inlet of the instrument was over flowed by excess synthetic air containing one or more reactants. In order to distinguish between OH produced by reactions upstream of the inlet and artificial signals produced inside the instrument, a chemical titration for OH was applied. Additional experiments were performed in the simulation chamber SAPHIR where simultaneous measurements by an open-path differential optical absorption spectrometer (DOAS) served as reference for OH to quantify potential artifacts in the LIF instrument. Experiments included the investigation of potential interferences related to the nitrate radical (NO3, N2O5), related to the ozonolysis of alkenes (ethene, propene, 1-butene, 2,3-dimethyl-2-butene, α-pinene, limonene, isoprene), and the laser photolysis of acetone. Experiments studying the laser photolysis of acetone yield OH signals in the fluorescence cell, which are equivalent to 0.05 × 106 cm−3 OH for a mixing ratio of 5 ppbv acetone. Under most atmospheric conditions, this interference is negligible. No significant interferences were found for atmospheric concentrations of reactants during ozonolysis experiments. Only for propene, α-pinene, limonene, and isoprene at reactant concentrations, which are orders of magnitude higher than in the atmosphere, could artificial OH be detected. The value of the interference depends on the turnover rate of the ozonolysis reaction. For example, an apparent OH concentration of approximately 1 × 106 cm−3 is observed when 5.8 ppbv limonene reacts with 600 ppbv ozone. Experiments with the nitrate radical NO3 reveal a small interference signal in the OH, HO2, and RO2 detection. Dependencies on experimental parameters point to artificial OH formation by surface reactions at the chamber walls or in molecular clusters in the gas expansion. The signal scales with the presence of NO3 giving equivalent radical concentrations of 1.1 × 105 cm−3 OH, 1 × 107 cm−3 HO2, and 1.7 × 107 cm−3 RO2 per 10 pptv NO3.

Reaction CH3 + CH3 → C2H6 Studied over the 292-714 K Temperature and 1-100 bar Pressure Ranges.

Reaction of recombination of methyl radicals, CH3 + CH3 → C2H6 (1) was studied using pulsed laser photolysis coupled to transient UV-vis absorption spectroscopy over the 292-714 K temperature and 1-100 bar pressure ranges (bath gas He), very close to the high-pressure limit. Methyl radicals were produced by photolysis of acetone at 193.3 nm or in the reaction of electronically excited oxygen atoms O((1)D), produced in the photolysis of N2O at 193.3 nm, with CH4, and subsequent reaction of OH with CH4. Temporal profiles of CH3 were recorded via absorption at 216.36 and 216.56 nm using a xenon arc lamp and a spectrograph. The absolute intensity of the photolysis light inside the reactor was determined by an accurate in situ actinometry based on the ozone formation in photolysis of N2O/O2/N2 mixtures. The rate constant of reaction 1 in the high-pressure limit has a negative temperature dependence: k1,inf = (5.66 ± 0.43) × 10(-11)(T/298 K)(-0.37) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) (292-714 K).

Chemical amplification--cavity attenuated phase shift spectroscopy measurements of atmospheric peroxy radicals.

We describe a new instrument for the quantification of atmospheric peroxy radicals (HO2, CH3O2, C2H5O2, etc.) using the chemical amplification method. Peroxy radicals are mixed with high concentrations of NO and CO, causing a chain reaction that produces a measurable increase in NO2 which is quantified by cavity attenuated phase shift (CAPS) spectroscopy, a highly sensitive spectroscopic detection technique. The instrument utilizes two identical reaction chambers, each with a dedicated CAPS NO2 sensor. Similar to all dual-channel chemical amplifiers, one reaction chamber operates in amplification or "ROx" mode and the other in background or "Ox" mode. The peroxy radical mixing ratio is determined by the difference between the two channels' NO2 readings divided by a laboratory-determined chain length. Each reaction chamber alternates between ROx and Ox mode on an anti-synchronized schedule, eliminating the effect of CAPS baseline offsets on the calculated peroxy radical concentrations. The chain length is determined by a new calibration method: peroxyacetyl and methyl peroxy radicals are produced by the photolysis of acetone and quantified as NO2 following reaction with excess NO. We demonstrate the performance of the instrument with results from ambient sampling in Amherst and several diagnostics of its precision. The detection limit while sampling ambient air at a relative humidity (RH) of 40% is 0.6 ppt (1 min average, signal-to-noise ratio =2), with an estimated accuracy of 25% (2σ).

Dynamics of acetone photooxidation on TiO2(110): State-resolved measurements of methyl photoproducts

State-resolved laser techniques were used to study the internal state distributions of gas phase methyl radicals which are produced during the photooxidation of acetone on TiO2(110). This approach was used as a means of understanding the nature of the bimodal kinetic energy distributions for these radicals. Specifically, we investigated the population of the ν2 "umbrella mode" which has been shown to be important in similar photodissociation reactions where methyl radicals are liberated. We observed that for methyl radicals undergoing prompt dissociation (EK = 0.15 eV), the vibrational population in the umbrella mode is quite cold and can be characterized by a Tvib = 151 ± 15 K. Methyl radicals in this channel were also characterized by a rotational energy distribution of Trot = 325 ± 25 K which is comparable to the gas phase value obtained by acetone photolysis. State-resolved energy distributions also show that methyl radicals which are vibrationally excited have an overall kinetic energy distribution which is ~35 meV less than those which are in their vibrational ground state. This value is comparable to, but not exactly in agreement with, the known vibrational spacing of the ν2 mode and suggests that vibrationally excited methyl radicals have less energy available for translation.

Reaction CH3 + OH Studied over the 294–714 K Temperature and 1–100 bar Pressure Ranges

Reaction of methyl radicals with hydroxyl radicals, CH(3) + OH → products (1) was studied using pulsed laser photolysis coupled to transient UV-vis absorption spectroscopy over the 294-714 K temperature and 1-100 bar pressure ranges (bath gas He). Methyl radicals were produced by photolysis of acetone at 193.3 nm. Hydroxyl radicals were generated in reaction of electronically excited oxygen atoms O((1)D), produced in the photolysis of N(2)O at 193.3 nm, with H(2)O. Temporal profiles of CH(3) were recorded via absorption at 216.4 nm using xenon arc lamp and a spectrograph; OH radicals were monitored via transient absorption of light from a dc discharge H(2)O/Ar low pressure resonance lamp at ca. 308 nm. The absolute intensity of the photolysis light inside the reactor was determined by an accurate in situ actinometry based on the ozone formation in the presence of molecular oxygen. The results of this study indicate that the rate constant of reaction 1 is pressure independent within the studied pressure and temperature ranges and has slight negative temperature dependence, k(1) = (1.20 ± 0.20) × 10(-10)(T/300)(-0.49) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1).

A photochemical source of peroxypropionic and peroxyisobutanoic nitric anhydride

Abstract A method to photochemically generate stable outputs of peroxyacetic, peroxypropionic, or peroxyisobutanoic nitric anhydride (PAN, PPN, or PiBN) in dilute gas streams is described. The PANs are generated by photolysis of excess acetone, diethyl ketone, or diisopropyl ketone in the presence of oxygen and either nitric oxide or nitrogen dioxide. The source output was characterized using a commercial NOy monitor, an in-house constructed thermal dissociation cavity ring-down spectrometer (TD-CRDS) equipped with a heated inlet for quantification of NO2, total peroxyacyl nitrates (∑PAN), and total alkyl nitrates (∑AN), and a thermal dissociation chemical ionization mass spectrometer (TD-CIMS) operated with iodide reagent ion. The TD-CIMS was calibrated (against TD-CRDS) using diffusion sources containing synthetic PAN standards. Response factors of 21, 19, and 5 counts per pptv, normalized to 1 million counts of iodide reagent ion, were found for PAN (monitored at m/z 59), PPN (m/z 73), and PiBN (m/z 87), respectively. The photo source was found to generate the three PANs in high yield. CIMS response factors derived using the photo source and TD-CRDS were identical to those derived from synthetic standards for PAN and PPN; hence, the photochemical PAN and PPN sources may be used to calibrate TD-CIMS (against TD-CRDS). For PiBN, the response factor derived using the photo source was 60% larger than that derived using the synthetic standard, limiting its use to deliver a calibrated stream of PiBN.

Reversible Hydrogen Transfer between Cysteine Thiyl Radical and Glycine and Alanine in Model Peptides: Covalent H/D Exchange, Radical−Radical Reactions, and l- to d-Ala Conversion

The reversible intramolecular hydrogen transfer reaction of peptide Cys thiyl radicals with Gly and Ala residues was studied in model peptides, where thiyl radicals were either generated through photochemical cleavage of disulfide bonds or through the reaction of Cys thiol with (*)CH(3) or CH(3)C(*)O radicals, or both, generated through photolysis of acetone. In D(2)O, the reversible hydrogen transfer leads to covalent H/D exchange, indicative of the location of intermediary carbon-centered radicals. In addition, the reversible formation of (alpha)C(*) radicals on Ala leads to the conversion of L-Ala to D-Ala, where the efficiency of this conversion depends on the primary sequence of the Ala-containing peptide. When Cys thiyl radicals are generated through the reaction of Cys thiol with (*)CH(3) or CH(3)C(*)O radicals, various recombination products between these initiating radicals and peptide thiyl and carbon-centered radicals provide further evidence for the location of intermediary radicals within the peptide sequence.

Kinetic study of the reaction of the acetyl radical, CH 3CO, with O 3 using cavity ring-down spectroscopy

Rate coefficients for the gas-phase reaction CH 3CO + O 3 → products (1) were measured between 248 and 403 K at 60–200 Torr (N 2). Rate coefficients were measured under pseudo-first-order conditions in CH 3CO with CH 3CO produced by 248 nm pulsed laser photolysis of acetone and monitored using cavity ring-down spectroscopy at 532 nm. Rate coefficients were found to be pressure independent with a weak negative temperature dependence k 1 ( T ) = 1.50 - 0.30 + 0.25 × 10 - 11 exp [ ( 300 ± 50 ) / T ] cm 3 molecule - 1 s - 1 and k 1(296 K) = (4.4 ± 0.5) × 10 −11 cm 3 molecule −1 s −1 where the quoted uncertainties are 2 σ and include estimated systematic errors.

Rate coefficients for the reaction of the acetyl radical, CH3CO, with Cl2 between 253 and 384 K

AbstractRate coefficients, k, for the gas‐phase reaction CH3CO + Cl2 → products (2) were measured between 253 and 384 K at 55–200 Torr (He). Rate coefficients were measured under pseudo‐first‐order conditions in CH3CO with CH3CO produced by the 248‐nm pulsed‐laser photolysis of acetone, CH3C(O)CH3, or 2,3‐butadione, CH3C(O)C(O)CH3. The loss of CH3CO was monitored by cavity ring‐down spectroscopy (CRDS) at 532 nm. Rate coefficients were determined by first‐order kinetic analysis of the CH3CO temporal profiles for [Cl2] &lt; 1 × 1014 molecule cm−3 and the analysis of the CRDS profiles by the simultaneous kinetics and ring‐down method for experiments performed with [Cl2] &gt; 1 × 1014 molecule cm−3. k2(T) was found to be independent of pressure, with k2(296 K) = (3.0 ± 0.5) × 10−11 cm3 molecule−1 s−1. k2(T) showed a weak negative temperature dependence that is well reproduced by the Arrhenius expression k2(T) = (2.2 ± 0.8) × 10−11 exp[(85 ± 120)/T] cm3 molecule−1 s−1. The quoted uncertainties in k2(T) are at the 2σ level (95% confidence interval) and include estimated systematic errors. A comparison of the present work with previously reported rate coefficients for the CH3CO + Cl2 reaction is presented. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 41: 543–553, 2009

Masked Velocity Map Imaging: A One-Laser-Beam Doppler-Free Spectroscopic Technique

A novel spectroscopic technique has been developed which makes it possible to record Doppler-free resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) spectra with just one laser beam. The approach simply involves masking the outer side of the phosphor screen under velocity map imaging conditions so that only those species having no velocity component parallel to the laser beam propagation direction are detected. The benefits of this method are demonstrated in spectroscopic characterization of highly translationally and rotationally excited CO fragments resulted from the 230 nm photolysis of OCS and acetone, yielding substantially improved values of the rotational constants for the B state (v'' = 0) of the CO molecule. The resolving power and the state distribution analysis of reaction products are also demonstrated for room-temperature H atoms generated by dissociation of background hydrogen molecules and oxygen atom detected from the 225.6 nm photolysis of ozone.

Acetone photolysis at 248 nm revisited: pressure dependence of the CO and CO2 quantum yields

Pressure dependent CO and CO2 quantum yields in the laser pulse photolysis of acetone at 248 nm and T = 298 K have been measured directly using quantitative infrared diode laser absorption. The experiments cover the pressure range from 50 to 900 mbar. It is found that the quantum yields show a significant dependence on total pressure, with Phi(CO) decreasing from around 0.5 at 20 mbar to approximately 0.3 at 900 mbar. The corresponding CO2 yields as observed when O2 exists in the reaction mixture, exhibit exactly the opposite behaviour. For the sum of both a value of 1.05(-0.05)(+0.02) independent of pressure is obtained, showing that the sum of (Phi(CO) + Phi(CO2)) is a measure for the primary quantum yield in the photolysis of acetone. In addition, CO quantum yields and corresponding pressure dependences were measured in experiments using different bath gases including He, Ar, Kr, SF6, and O2 as third body colliders. The theoretical framework in which we discuss these data is based on our previous findings that the pressure dependence of the CO yield is a consequence of a stepwise fragmentation mechanism during which acetone decomposes initially into methyl and a vibrationally 'hot' acetyl radical, with the latter being able to decompose promptly into methyl plus CO. The pressure dependence of the CO yield then originates from the second step and is modelled quantitatively via statistical dynamical calculations using a combination of RRKM theory with a time-dependent master equation (ME) approach. From a comparison of experiment with theory the amount of excess energy in the vibrationally hot acetyl radicals (E* approximately 65 kJ mol(-1)) as well as the characteristic collision parameters for interaction of acetyl with the different bath gases were derived. Values of 90, 280, 310, 545, 550 and 1800 cm(-1) for the average energy transferred per downward collision for the bath gases He, Ar, Kr, O2, N2, and SF6, respectively, are obtained. The calculations also considered different models for the energy transfer kernel P(E,E') and best fits were obtained with a rho-weighted exponential down model.

Photolysis of CH3C(O)CH3 at 248 and 266 nm: pressure and temperature dependent overall quantum yields

The overall quantum yield of photolysis of acetone (CH(3)C(O)CH(3)) at 248 and 266 nm was measured using the pulsed laser photolysis technique. The organic photo-fragment radicals CH(3) and CH(3)CO were detected indirectly as Br atoms using time-resolved resonance fluorescence following their reaction with Br(2). Quantum yields for acetone photolysis were derived relative to COCl(2) (at 248 nm) or Cl(2) (at 266 nm) in back-to-back experiments in which Cl atoms were scavenged by Br(2) to form Br. At 248 nm, experiments were carried out at pressures between 60 and 760 Torr of N(2) and at three temperatures: 224, 234 and 298 K. At this wavelength, the overall quantum yield was 0.98 +/- 0.10 and, within experimental uncertainty, was independent of pressure and temperature in the ranges covered. At 266 nm, experiments were restricted to 298 K, where the quantum yield was also close to unity, but with a weak dependence on bath gas pressure. These results confirm our previous room temperature, 266 nm dataset obtained using a different experimental approach in which the yield of CH(3) was measured directly.

Roaming Dynamics in Acetone Dissociation

DC slice imaging has been employed to study the photodissociation dynamics of acetone at 230 nm, with detection of the CO photoproduct via the B (v' = 0) (1)Sigma(+) <-- X (v'' = 0) (1)Sigma(+) transition. A bimodal translational energy distribution observed in the CO fragments points to two distinct dissociation pathways in the 230 nm photolysis of acetone. One pathway results in substantial translational energy release (E(ave) approximately 0.3 eV) along with rather high rotational excitation (up to J'' = 50) of CO, and is attributed to the thoroughly investigated stepwise mechanism of bond cleavage in acetone. The other dissociation pathway leads to rotationally cold CO (J'' = 0-20) with very little energy partitioned into translation (E(ave) approximately 0.04 eV) and in this way it is dynamically similar to the recently reported roaming mechanism found in formaldehyde and acetaldehyde dissociation. We ascribe the second dissociation pathway to an analogous roaming dissociation mechanism taking place on the ground electronic state following internal conversion. For acetone, this would imply highly vibrationally excited ethane as a coproduct of rotationally cold CO, with the ethane formed above the threshold for secondary decomposition. We estimate that about 15% of the total CO fragments are produced through the roaming pathway. Rotational populations were obtained using a new Doppler-free method that simply relies on externally masking the phosphor screen under velocity map conditions in such a way that only the products with no velocity component along the laser propagation direction are detected.

The CH 3CO quantum yield in the 248 nm photolysis of acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, and biacetyl

We report measurements of the CH 3CO quantum yield, Φ C H 3 CO , following the 248 nm pulsed laser photolysis of acetone (CH 3C(O)CH 3), methyl ethyl ketone (CH 3C(O)CH 2CH 3), and biacetyl (CH 3C(O)C(O)CH 3). CH 3CO quantum yields at 248 nm were measured at 296 K, relative to CH 3CO reference systems. CH 3CO was detected using cavity ring-down spectroscopy at wavelengths between 490 and 660 nm. Measurements were performed between 60 and 670 Torr (He, N 2 bath gases) and the obtained CH 3CO quantum yields in the low-pressure limit, Φ C H 3 CO 0 , were 0.535 ± 0.09, 0.41 ± 0.08, and 0.76 ± 0.11, for acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, and biacetyl, respectively. The quoted uncertainties are 2 σ (95% confidence level) and include estimated systematic errors. An increase in Φ C H 3 CO with increasing bath gas pressure, which depended on the identity of the collision partner (He, N 2), was observed. The present results are compared with previous quantum yield determinations.

Photodissociation Pathways of Acetone Upon Excitation Into the 3s Rydberg State: Adiabatic Versus Diabatic Mechanism

Photolysis of acetone upon excitation to the 3s Rydberg excited state has been studied by means of high level ab initio methods. The calculations have been performed on multiconfigurational self consistent field (MCSCF) level with a subsequent addition of dynamical correlation both by perturbation theory (CASPT2) and via a configuration interaction expansion up to double excitations (MR-CISD). In addition to the major photoreaction that is well known Norrish type α-cleavage, the formation of hydrogen and acetonyl (1-methyloxy or 2-oxopropyl) radical has been discussed. The major question addressed is whether the dynamical processes occur adiabatically on the S2 surface or diabatically, with non-adiabatic transitions taking place in the course of the reactions.