Summary
Oxygen-free aqueous solution of CH3CH2CN (0.1 M, pH 6) were exposed to gamma rays from a60Co source and the mixture of radiolytic products fractionated. The separated fractions were analysed by magnetic resoncance methods (EPR, NMR), spectrophotometry (UV-VIS-IR), gas chromatography and amino acids analysis. About 70% of radiolytic products consist of non volatile material. A large variety of compounds was detected: propionaldehyde, acetaldeyde, sixteen carboxylic acids and, in the hydrolysate, eleven protein and nonprotein amino acids. About 20% of the nonvolatile radiolytic products have a hydrophobic character and can be extracted with chloroform. Among them is a long-living nitroxide free radical which is stable for months at room temperature. It has been suggested that the nitroso compounds are formed as radiolytic products, and that they act as spin-traps by converting some of the short living radicals to the observed nitroxide radical. This and other experimental findings are discussed in the light of free radical reactions induced by ionizing radiation.
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Jovanović, S., Nešković, S., Spirić, V. et al. The radiolysis of aqueous propionitrile: Compounds of interest to chemical evolution studies. J Mol Evol 18, 337–343 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01733900
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01733900