The radiation chemistry of liquid carbon monoxide at —196°C and mixtures of CO with various gases has been investigated. In the γ-radiolysis of pure CO CO2 is formed with G(CO2) =0.18. The addition of CH4, C2H4, O2, and NO leads to the formation of C3O2 which is not observed in the γ-radiolysis of pure CO.In the case of CO—CH4 mixtures the following reacting products were identified: C2H6, C2H2, H2CO, H2C2O (Ketene), CO2 and C3O2. Results of experiments with CO —CH4 —13CH4 and CO—CH4—CD4 mixtures and measurements of the dependence of G(CO2), G(C3O2), G(C2H2) and G (C2H6) on the concentration of CH4 have shown that ethane is formed by energy transfer from CO to CH4 or by reaction of CH4 with excited CO and that C3O2 and C2H2 are formed by reaction of free carbon atoms which are formed in the presence of methane.
