Infrared chemiluminescence investigation of the reactions of methyl radicals with oxygen and fluorine

The technique of arrested relaxation infrared chemiluminescence has been used to study two methyl radical reactions. The reaction of methyl radicals with fluorine produces methyl fluoride with a statistical distribution of vibrational energy. In this reaction approximately half the energy available to the methyl fluoride product goes into vibration. The reaction of methyl radicals with oxygen atoms produces formaldehyde with so much vibrational energy that we can only put a lower limit of 30 kcal/mole on its vibrational energy.