Synthesis of Products of Higher Molecular Weight in the Radiolysis of Aqueous Solutions of Formic Acid

Irradiation of dilute, oxygen-free formic acid solutions with cyclotron- produced protons or helium ions leads to the synthesis of a number of products of higher molecular weight. The compounds identified include oxalic, glyoxylic, glycolic, mesoxalic, tartronic, and tartaric acids, and glyoxal. These products are not formed in appreciable yield by neutron (and gamma -ray) irradiation. The observations are correlated in terms of a reaction mechanism that involves dose rate-dependent steps. (auth)