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Photodecomposition of Aldehydes and Ketones

Nature volume 138, page 1016 (1936)Cite this article

Abstract

WE have recently extended our study of primary photochemical change by an investigation of the photodecomposition of the homologues of acetone in cyclohexane solution. It has been shown that in the gas phase there are two main types of decomposition. Type I occurs in short-chain aldehydes and ketones, and consists of an elimination of carbon monoxide, and the formation of an approximately equivalent amount of saturated hydrocarbon, resulting from the primary rupture of one of the carbonyl bonds; for example, in the case of acetone at 60° C. we have1,2,3,4:

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References

  1. Norrish and Kirkbride, J. Chem. Soc., 1518 (1932).

  2. Norrish and Appleyard, J. Chem. Soc., 874 (1934).

  3. Norrish, Crone and Saltmarsh, J. Chem. Soc., 1456 (1934).

  4. Spence and Wild, NATURE, 138, 206 (1936).

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  5. Bamford and Norrish, J. Chem. Soc., 1504 (1935).

  6. Bowen, Communication to the Chemical Society (Nov. 5, 1936).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Chemical Laboratory, Cambridge

    R. G. W. NORRISH & C. H. BAMFORD

Authors
  1. R. G. W. NORRISH
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  2. C. H. BAMFORD
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NORRISH, R., BAMFORD, C. Photodecomposition of Aldehydes and Ketones. Nature 138, 1016 (1936). https://doi.org/10.1038/1381016a0

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