Radiolysis of aqueous solutions of acetic acid in the presence of Na-montmorillonite.
The gamma-irradiation of 0.8 mol dm-3 aqueous, oxygen-free acetic acid solutions was investigated in the presence or absence of Na-montmorillonite.  H2, CH4, CO, CO2, and several polycarboxylic acids were formed in all systems.  The primary characteristics observed in the latter system were:  (1) Higher yield of the decomposition of acetic acid; (2) Lower yield of the formation of polycarboxylic acids; (3) No effect on the formation of methane; (4) Higher yield of the formation of carbon dioxide; and (5) The reduction of Fe3+ in the octahedral sites of Na-montmorillonite.  A possible reaction scheme was proposed to account for the observed changes.  The results are important in understanding heterogeneous processes in radiation catalysis and might be significant to prebiotic chemistry.
Navarro-González
R
R
Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, UNAM, México DF.
Negrón-Mendoza
A
A
Ramos
S
S
Ponnamperuma
C
C
D000085:Acetates / Q000032:analysis*; D019342:Acetic Acid; D000538:Aluminum Silicates / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D001546:Bentonite / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D000077215:Clay; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005609:Free Radicals; D005720:Gamma Rays; D055593:Geological Phenomena; D005844:Geology; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000032:analysis; D008697:Methane / Q000032:analysis; D008956:Models, Chemical; D011854:Radiochemistry; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
D000085:Acetates; D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D005609:Free Radicals; D001546:Bentonite; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D006859:Hydrogen; D008697:Methane; D019342:Acetic Acid; D000077215:Clay