Photodissociation of Carbon Tetrachloride Sensitized by Naphthalene Derivatives‐i. Radical‐chain Reaction in the System Naphthalene‐methanol‐carbon Tetrachloride

Abstract— Irradiation of naphthalene in methanol in the presence of carbon tetrachloride with light of 313 nm wavelength forms hydrochloric acid, chloroform, and formaldehyde as the main products. The quantum yields of these products are larger than 1 (up to 50 , depending on the concentrations of reactants and sensitizer and on temperature). The quantum yield for the disappearance of the sensitizer naphthalene is smaller than 0.3. From these results it is concluded that the products are built up by a chain reaction with CC1 3 and CH 2 OH radicals as intermediates.