Influence of boiling on radiolysis of oxygen-containing liquids

Abstract The radiolysis of propanol, diglyme, acetone, 2-butanone and 4-methyl-2 pentanone is compared at boiling and at ambient conditions. Boiling affects the composition and yields of radiolytic products. Keto-enol tautomerization is manifested as a reason for increasing the yield of water, acids and some oxygen-containing unsaturated products in irradiated boiling ketones. The yield of ketone degradation at room temperature is almost 1/3 lower than that of alcohol and ether, primarily due to the difference in the mechanism of ionic processes. The increased degradation of boiling solvents is due to the dissociation of unstable radicals and the reactions of the resulting fragmentary radicals with a solvent. Radiolytic degradation of boiling ketones is further intensified due to their participation in radical chain oligomerization.