Abstract
THE nature of the bimolecular radical reaction which terminates the chains in the high-temperature photodecomposition of acetaldehyde will only be shown by analysis. Assuming the reaction: 
, the amount of ethane to be expected can be calculated by the graphical integration 
where p0 mm. acetaldehyde have been irradiated, decomposing at initial rate R0, to a final acetaldehyde pressure P1 mm. The light absorbed is given by I = 1 − exp(− αp); K is the overall reaction constant, where R = KpI1/2; ϕ is the overall quantum yield, and k1 is the quantum yield of the primary process, 
. The amounts of ethane thus obtained are such that only mass spectrometry will detect and estimate them in the presence of considerable quantities of methane and carbon monoxide.
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References
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DODD, R., WALDRON, J. Association Reaction of Methyl Radicals. Nature 167, 655–656 (1951). https://doi.org/10.1038/167655a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/167655a0
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