Chemiluminescent recombination of benzoyl radicals
Abstract
Pyrolysis of di-t-butyl peroxyoxalate in the presence of benzaldehyde gives t-butyl alcohol and benzil as main products. Peroxide decomposition produces a visible chemiluminescence that can be attributed to triplet benzil emission. The excited triplet is produced in the benzoyl radical recombination (2PhCO →3[PhCOCOPh]). For this process in benzene at 45 °C the specific rate constant is 7 × 105 dm3 mol–1 s–1.