Photolysis of methyl nitrite.

Study of the photolysis of CH3ONO, alone and in the presence of NO, NO-N2 mixtures, and NO-CO mixtures, between 25 and 150 F. The major products of this reaction are CH2O, N2O, and H2O. The steps responsible for these products are determined. The N2O yield is large at low pressures but approaches a high-pressure limiting value of 0.055 at all temperatures as the excited CH3O produced in the primary step is stabilized by collision. Nitrogen is also a product of the reaction and is produced from two sources. When pure CH3ONO is photolyzed, CO is produced and NO accumulates in the system. Both products are formed in related processes and result from CH3O attack on CH2O.