Photolysis of Formaldehyde in the Presence of Nitric Oxide

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Abstract
The photolysis of CH2O has been studied in the absence and presence of NO from room temperature to 300°C. In the photolysis of CH2O alone, the CO and H2 formation rates increase greatly with temperature. When NO is added, these rates vary and reach constant values with an increase in the amount of NO. These limiting rates are independent of the temperature to within the experimental error, in contrast to the rates observed for CH2O alone. It is suggested that the limiting rate of CO formation corresponds to the sum of the rates of the two primary processes, the molecular and radical reactions, and that that of H2 formation corresponds to the rate of the molecular process. For photolysis totally inhibited by NO, the rates of formation of CO, H2, N2, and N2O were examined and a reaction mechanism is proposed which is consistent with that for the photosensitized reaction between hydrogen and nitric oxide previously studied in this laboratory.
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