INTERMEDIATES IN GAMMA-IRRADIATED SOLUTIONS OF CARBON TETRACHLORIDE IN ALKANES AT 77 DEGREES K

γ-Irradiated samples of CCl4 in alkane hydrocarbons exhibit optical absorption bands with maxima at 367 and ∼470 nm. Isothermal decay of 367-nm absorption and growth of 470-nm absorption and an isosbestic point between these bands provides evidence that one species is the precursor of the other. They are assumed to be CCl4+ and a CT complex, CCl4·Cl, resulting from charge recombination with Cl-. These assignments agree with positive charge migration induced by ∼370-nm excitation but not by ∼470-nm excitation and by the appearance of the 470-nm band under uv photolysis.