Competition between reactive sites during the pulse radiolysis of styrene in aqueous solution

Abstract

The optical absorptions of the transient species formed by the reactions of the primary radiolysis products of water (eaq-, ·H, and ·OH) with styrene were measured. There are large differences between the various literature estimates for these reaction pathways. Most of the eaq- and H and about 50% of the OH react with the unsaturated vinyl side chain to give the α-methylbenzyl and hydroxy-substituted methylbenzyl radical respectively. The remaining OH reacts with the aromatic ring to give hydroxy(vinyl)cyclohexadienyl radicals.