Radiolysis of ethyl iodide – chloromethane mixtures

Abstract

Mixtures of ethyl iodide with chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, and dichloromethane have been irradiated with 60Co γ-radiation. Reduced yields of iodine, hydrogen iodide, and hydrogen chloride from ethyl iodide – chloroform and ethyl iodide – dichloromethane mixtures and of chlorinated ethanes from ethyl iodide – chloroform are attributed to radical scavenging by iodine and dissociative electron capture by the chlorinated methane.Electron capture by carbon tetrachloride followed by ion–molecule reactions between ethyl iodide cations and ethyl iodide, or neutralization of these cations by chlorine anions, explains iodine yields observed at low ethyl iodide concentrations in carbon tetrachloride greater than those expected on the basis of partition of absorbed energy. In this mixture, neutralization of an ethyl iodide cation by a chlorine anion gives rise to an enhanced hydrogen chloride yield.