Chemical and physical factors which control the substitution reactions of direct fission-produced iodine with gaseous methane and the methyl halides

The factors controlling the hydrogen and halogen substitution reactions resulting from direct fission-produced iodine isotopes (*I) with gaseous methane and methyl halides were investigated. The chemical reaction probabilities, corrected for any secondary decomposition, were compared as a function of various chemical and physical parameters. These include carbon-halogen bond strength, halogen electronegativity, volume and cross sectional area of the substituted and neighboring atoms. On the basis of this analysis, it is concluded that *I-for-X (where X = H, F, Cl, Br and I) substitution reactions are controlled by the cross sectional area of the X atom. The *I-for-H substitution probability is reduced in proportion to the volume of X, suggesting that steric interference is the dominant factor influencing the reaction probability. (orig.)