The mass spectrometric study of the reaction of methyl radicals with oxygen

Abstract

The reaction between oxygen molecules and methyl radicals, produced b y the photo - dissociation of methyliodide, has been studied using a mass spectrometer which samples directly through a small hole from the gas emerging from the illuminated zone. The effect of adding hydrogen iodide has also been examined. I t has been found that methanol and form aldehyde are formed in equimolar amounts together with a small quantity of m ethyl hydroperoxide. The yield of the latter is greatly increased by adding small percentages of hydrogen iodide. Larger additions produce some water and methane. To account for the results obtained here, together with those obtained by others, we suggest the following mechanism.