Reactions of hydrated electron and alcohol radicals with halogenated aromatic compounds: A pulse radiolysis study

The bimolecular rate constants for the reaction of e^-_aq with chlorotoluenes, chloronitrobenzenes and chloronitrotoluenes have been determined from the decay of e^-_aq. With chlorotoluenes, e^-_aq reacts by dissociative electron capture without any transient absorption band in 270–500 nm region. In case of chloronitrobenzenes and chloronitrotoluenes, e^-_aq forms a transient band with λ_max in 290–310 nm region without any Cl^- formation. Hydroxyl alkyl radicals, derived from alcohols, do not seem to react with chlorotoluenes whereas a transient species with λ_max=305–315 nm region are formed on addition of hydroxy alkyl radical to —NO₂ group of chloronitrobenzenes.