Chemistry of recoil tritium atoms. Part 3.—Reactions with but-2-ene in the presence of helium, oxygen or nitrogen

Abstract

The effect of adding varying amounts of helium, oxygen and nitrogen to the reaction of recoil tritium atoms with trans-but-2-ene is studied and the results analysed by the Estrup Wolfgang method. Despite the uncertainties attendant upon the use of rare gas moderators to determine the relative energies of tritium atoms that produce particular species it is concluded that the energy range for HT formation is broader than, and straddles, the labelling range. It is shown that some recently labelled trans-but-2-ene molecules decompose at low pressure, probably by isomerisation. To explain the enhanced yield of labelled propylene in the presence of nitrogen it is proposed that [N₂T·] is formed which can act as a “carrier” for “hot” tritium atoms.