Photoinduced and thermal reactions of molecular σ radical cations of some branched alkanes in low-temperature matrices: An ESR study

The photoinduced and thermal reactions of σ radical cations of methyl-substituted propanes and butanes in the condensed phases have been characterized by ESR. Photoelimination of CH4 giving olefinic π radical cations commonly takes place except for H2 elimination from isobutane radical cations. The thermal reactions of methyl-substituted butane radical cations in CFCl2CF2Cl were found to be deprotonation from the CH3 group to give primary alkyl radicals.