Photolysis and radiolysis of CO

Photolysis of CO has been conducted18-20 only at wavelengths greater than the threshold for dissociation ( 1100 A) where reactions of excited molecules 

Subsequent reactions of the C and O atoms give rise to the end products COz and C302, viz. 

Radiolysis of CO, both in the liquid and gaseous states, also leads to C02 and C302 formation, the latter product appearing mainly as a polymeric solid23-27. A scheme of reactions consisting of the initial production of a carbon and an oxygen atom, followed by (10)-(12) and 

C20(3E) and C(lS) have been observed spectroscopically during pulse radiolysis of CO29,30. The failure to observe the lower states of carbon atoms may simply be a reflection of their greater reactivity towards CO12,30. 

---