Primary steps in the photolysis of <i>cis</i>‐1,2‐dichloroethylene

Abstract

Abstract The photolysis of cis ‐1,2‐dichloroethylene has been investigated in the presence of I 2 as a function of incident wavelength and as a function of initial cis pressure. The results indicate that at ± &gt; 2200Å the following primary processes occur: The lifetime of the excited state yielding the above products is estimated at about 2.4×10 −9 sec. At shorter wavelengths additional C 2 H 2 is produced by decomposition of a vibrationally excited C 2 H 2 Cl radical. Scavenging of the CHClCH radical by I 2 produced trans and cis ‐CHClCHl in a ratio of 4 to 1, respectively.