Some products of the liquid phase radiolysis of acetone
Irradiation of degassed liquid acetone with a Co/sup 60/ gamma source (dose: 10/sup 20/ to 10/sup 21/ ev/ml) affords, in addition to the known gaseous products, a complex mixture of oxygencontaining, mostly liquid, products. Chromatographic analysis of this mixture showed the presence of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, diacetyl, acetylacetone, acetonylacetone, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, diacetone alcohol, pinacol, and acetic and oxalic acids, as well as several unidentified ketonic and hydroxylic substances. Small quantities of methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, mesityl oxide, phorone, ethylene glycol, 1,2-propanediol, and 2,3-butanediol may also be present. Possible reaction schemes leading to these products are proposed. (auth)