Photochemical decomposition of ruthenium tetroxide

For the first time, the photochemical decomposition of gaseous RuO{sub 4} as a function of wavelength has been studied. Two types of studies were employed: (a) irradiation with a constant-intensity mercury arc, isolating lines with filters, and (b) flash photolysis and kinetic absorption spectroscopy using a xenon flash lamp and liquid solution filters. The steady mercury arc irradiation gave quantum yields as a function of wavelength, and the flash photolysis experiments gave spectra of previously unreported products.