Reactions of recoil tritium with liquid chloromethanes

The reactions of recoil T atoms with CH2Cl2, CHCl3 and CCl4 are investigated. The yields of HT and of products arising from substitution of H and Cl atoms are in the order of 1-3%. The total organic yield in CCl4 is about 1%; most of the recoil T atoms become thermalised and react with radiolytically produced Cl2. If small amounts of unsaturated compounds are present the organic yield increases to about 90% due to the addition of thermal T atoms to the olefinic bonds. With 2 mol% I2 the organic yield is about 45% due to reactions with radiolytically produced C2Cl4. The organic yields in CHCl3 and CH2Cl2 are about 100%, mainly due to the reactions of thermal T atoms with radiolytically produced C2Cl4 and C2H2Cl2. In the presence of 2 mol% I2 the organic yields decrease to about 10%, due to the reaction of the T atoms with I2. (orig.)