ESR STUDIES OF RADICAL FRAGMENTS PRODUCED IN X-IRRADIATED DISODIUM SUCCINATE

The room-temperature stable paramagnetic species in x-irradiated disodium succinate has been shown to be -O2CCHCH3, rather than -O2CCH2CH2 proposed by earlier workers. This result is in marked contrast to that found in x-irradiated succinic acid, where HOOOCCHCH2COOH is the principal fragment. This difference in the radiation damage behavior in succinic acid and its disodium salt is attributed to differences in molecular configuration within the crystal lattice, which allows intermolecular hydrogen-atom transfer to occur in succinic acid, but not in disodium succinate. In the latter compound intramolecular transfer occurs instead. A mechanism for radiation damage in the dicarboxylic acids is proposed.