The radiolysis of dilute aqueous solutions containing ethylene and oxygen has been investigated. Pulse radiolysis was used to measure the rate constants for the addition of hydroxyl radicals to ethylene, the binary decomposition of the resulting hydroxyethyl radicals and their addition to ethylene and reaction with oxygen to yield peroxy radicals. The rate constants have also been determined for the mutual interaction of the peroxy radicals and their reaction with ferrous ions. The principal products of
γ
-irradiation were aldehydes and organic hydroperoxides. Hydrogen peroxide was found in yields close to the molecular yield from water. The polymer produced in the absence of oxygen was not formed, and glycollaldehyde, reported as a major product by previous workers, could not be detected. At constant composition of the gas mixtures, product yields were unaffected by total pressure in the range up to 40 atm, but were strongly dependent on the proportion of oxygen. Aldehyde yields were markedly greater at pH 1.2 than in neutral solution. The influence of ferrous ions an d of added hydrogen peroxide has been determined. The pulse radiolysis and
γ
-irradiation experiments complement one another and show that the radiation-induced oxidation of ethylene in aqueous solution involves the same primary reactions as occur in the absence of oxygen, followed by the formation and further reactions of peroxy radicals.
Radiation-induced ring cleavage of .BETA.-cyclodextrin in oxygen-free aqueous solution.
