Radiolysis of Hydrogen Cyanide in Aqueous System Part 1. Estimation of Radiolytic Yield of Hydrogen Cyanide and Product Investigation

Abstract

Radiolysis of hydrogen cyanide is studied to elucidate the chemical action of ionizing radiation on simple compound which is of interest in primordial organic chemistry. G (-HCN) is seen to increase with increasing hydrogen cyanide concentration tending to 8~9 at 0.1 M in either air-free or aerated system, however the presence of oxygen reduces G (-HCN) very effectively at lower concentration. The limiting value in G (-HCN) when all the free radicals produced by water radiolysis are assumed to react with hydrogen cyanide is obtained as 5.9. This is in close agreement with well established values in radical yield in water and indicates the participation of these radicals in radiolysis of hydrogen cyanide at low concentration. High G(-HCN) at higher concentration is too large to be accounted for in this way and some other effect principally like polymerization of hydrogen cyanide must contribute to the increase in radiolytic yield. At high concentration of hydrogen cyanide, an absorption band at 295 mμ appears, which is assigned to HCN tetramer by comparing with the absorption curve of tetramer extracted from azulmic acid prepared from hydrogen cyanide and triethylamine. As the radiolysis products, ammonia, carbon dioxide and hydrogen are observed. © 1967, Journal of Radiation Research Editorial Committee. All rights reserved.