Radiation Chemistry of Organic Halides in Aqueous Solution.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the radiation chemistry of organic halides in aqueous solution with particular focus on the formation of transient species. Hydroxyl radicals are able to undergo electron transfer reaction with halogenated organic compounds in highly acidic conditions. The concentration of the acid required depends directly on the electronegativity of the halogen. In the case of aromatic halogenated compounds, the λmax of the solute radical cation depends strongly on the nature of the halogen, which is 630 nm for I, 550 nm for Br, 475 nm for Cl, and 395 nm for F. The transient absorption spectrum remains identical in dihalogenated benzenes containing the same halogen atoms. If the halogen atoms are different, the position of the transient absorption band depends strongly on the nature as well as on the relative positions of halogen atoms. The transient absorption band matches with the halogen having lower electronegativity. The transient absorption spectra similar to both the halogens, under two different conditions, is observed only if one of the halogens is fluorine and is ortho to the other halogen.