Energy transfer in the gamma-irradiated benzene solutions of carbonyl sulfide, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide

Abstract The γ-radiolysis of benzene solutions containing carbonyl sulfide, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide has been investigated at room temperature and at 0°C. Carbonyl sulfide was shown to be an effective electron scavenger and to give carbon monoxide as the product. By comparing the solute concentration dependences of G(N2) and G(CO), it was concluded that the collision of secondary electrons with benzene does not efficiently produce the first excited singlet state, the G-value of which is less than 0.2 if it is produced at all. The concentration dependences of the G(CO) and G(phenol) from the benzene solution of carbon dioxide also suggested that the superexcited state or the highly-excited state of benzene is too short-lived to transfer its energy to the solute.