Photooxidation of o-Xylene in the NO-H2O-Air System

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/j100442a004

The reaction products in the photooxidation of o-xylene were analyzed by a new gas chromatograph/photoionization mass spectrometer.There were two types of reaction products, i.e., high- and low-boiling point products.Tolualdehyde, dimethylphenols, and dimethylnitrobenzene were the main high-boiling point products and formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, glyoxal, methylglyoxal, and biacetyl were identified as low-boiling point products.The ratio of the total amount of high-boiling point products formed to the amount of o-xylene consumed was about 17percent.On the other hand, the low-boiling point products collected amounted to about 45percent of the o-xylene consumed.The reaction mechanisms and the importance of the cleavage reaction of the aromatic ring were discussed.