Nitrosomethane decomposition

FIGURE 13. PE spectra of nitrosomethane (b) and its cfr-dimer (a) displaying the temperature-dependent decomposition of cw-(MeNO)2 into MeNO. Reproduced (modified) with permission from Reference 125... 

For the photolysis of ferf-butyl nitrite a possible reaction mechanism (Scheme 6) consists of the production of ferf-butoxy radicals (equation 3), followed by their decomposition to give acetone and methyl radicals (equation 4). The latter are trapped by the nitric oxide liberated in the first step (equation 5). However, the absence of ethane production in the actual experiments suggested that an intramolecular formation of nitrosomethane is unlikely ". ... 

The first preparation of nitrosomethane dimer (m.p. 122°-122.2°C corr.) was carried out by the photolytic decomposition of /-butyl nitrite at 25°C and at a pressure of 50 mm using a 300 watt mercury vapor lamp (General Electric Uviarc ) as a source of radiation [36],... 

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