Methanol Photochemistry: Collision‐Induced Predissociation

Abstract

The quantum yields for methanol photodecomposition have been found to be pressure dependent. Apart from methanol itself, other gases (alkane, N2, SF6, CO2, Ar, Kr, Xe) are effective in promoting the transition to dissociative states. A collision induced predissociation is postulated and the relative efficiencies of the different gases analyzed using a model based on simple degenerate perturbation theory.