The Photolysis of Methylethyl Ketone

The nature of the products from the photochemical decomposition of methylethyl ketone at temperatures from 90 to 200° has been re-examined. In contrast with earlier results, the formation of ethane, propane, and butane parallels the frequency of the corresponding free radical collisions. At the higher temperatures, however, production of ethane and especially of methane becomes predominant. The influences on the product distribution of secondary reactions, the lifetimes of the free radical collision complexes, and the activation energies and entropies, are considered.