The Photooxidation of Butene‐1 by Nitrogen Dioxide at Short Wavelengths

The photooxidation of butene‐1 by nitrogen dioxide has been studied at 2288 Å and at longer wavelengths. From the measured effects of additions of inert and other gases on the product yields it is concluded that 1D2 oxygen atoms participate in the photooxidation at 2288 Å. Ground state oxygen atoms, produced by the photodissociation of NO2 and possibly by quenching of O(1D) by the olefin, are also important in the photooxidation at 2288 Å, and are believed to give rise to practically all of the observed yields of the addition products, n‐butanal and 1,2‐epoxybutane. The indications are that the reaction of O(1D) with butene‐1 at total pressures below one atmosphere yields very little stabilized addition product.