Stability of trifluoroacetyl radical

Abstract

Flash photolysis of hexafluoroacetone at –78°C yields hexafluorobiacetyl among the products, although the amount is small. Bromine quenches both the phosphorescence and fluorescence of hexafluoroacetone. These results indicate that the principal products of primary photodissociation of hexafluoroacetone are CF₃ radicals and CO, rather than CF₃CO and CF₃ radicals. Further, the products of the photolysis of hexafluoroacetone in the presence of bromine can be accounted for by an excited molecule reaction.