Detection of H2, HD, and D2 by Raman Spectroscopy: A Powerful Aid for the Elucidation of Reaction Mechanisms

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/ja00295a011

The detection of H2, HD, and D2 by gas-phase Raman spectroscopy has shown that the photochemical and thermal dehydrogenation of dioxabicycloalkanes occurs by an intramolecular process.The general applicability of the Raman technique for the identification of dihydrogen produced in the course of a reaction is based upon the high-scattering cross section of dihydrogen, which allows the ready detection of submicromolar quantities of the gas.