The chemical with CAS 78 - 63 - 7 is 2 - Chloropropane. It is an important organic compound with a wide range of industrial applications. As a reliable supplier of CAS 78 - 63 - 7, we are committed to providing high - quality products and in - depth technical knowledge to our customers. In this blog, we will explore the photochemical reaction products of 2 - Chloropropane.
Photochemical Reaction Basics
Photochemical reactions are chemical reactions initiated by the absorption of light. When a molecule absorbs a photon of appropriate energy, it can be promoted to an excited state. In this excited state, the molecule has different chemical reactivity compared to its ground state, which can lead to various chemical transformations.
For 2 - Chloropropane, the photochemical reactions usually occur under the influence of ultraviolet (UV) light. The energy of UV light is sufficient to break the relatively weak carbon - chlorine (C - Cl) bond in 2 - Chloropropane.
Possible Photochemical Reaction Products
1. Propene and Hydrogen Chloride
One of the primary photochemical reaction pathways of 2 - Chloropropane is the elimination reaction to form propene (CH₃CH = CH₂) and hydrogen chloride (HCl). The absorption of UV light provides the energy needed to break the C - Cl bond and a neighboring C - H bond, resulting in the formation of a double bond between the carbon atoms and the release of HCl.
The reaction can be represented by the following equation:
CH₃CHClCH₃ + hν → CH₃CH = CH₂+ HCl
where hν represents the energy of the absorbed photon.


Propene is an important industrial chemical used in the production of polypropylene, acrylonitrile, and other chemicals. Hydrogen chloride is also a valuable by - product, which can be used in various chemical processes such as the production of vinyl chloride and the pickling of metals.
2. Radical - Based Products
Another possible outcome of the photochemical reaction of 2 - Chloropropane is the formation of radicals. When the C - Cl bond is broken by UV light, a chlorine radical (Cl•) and an isopropyl radical ((CH₃)₂CH•) are generated.
(CH₃)₂CHCl+ hν → (CH₃)₂CH•+ Cl•
These radicals can then react with other molecules in the system. For example, the isopropyl radical can react with oxygen in the air to form peroxy radicals:
(CH₃)₂CH•+ O₂ → (CH₃)₂CHO₂•
Peroxy radicals are highly reactive and can initiate a series of chain reactions. They can react with other organic molecules, leading to the formation of various oxygen - containing compounds such as aldehydes, ketones, and alcohols.
The chlorine radical can react with other 2 - Chloropropane molecules or other hydrocarbons present in the system. For instance, it can abstract a hydrogen atom from another 2 - Chloropropane molecule:
Cl•+ CH₃CHClCH₃ → HCl+(CH₃)₂CCl•
The resulting (CH₃)₂CCl• radical can further react to form different products, such as coupling products or products from reaction with other species in the environment.
3. Chlorinated Derivatives
In some cases, the radicals formed from the photochemical reaction of 2 - Chloropropane can react with chlorine - containing species to form more highly chlorinated derivatives. For example, the isopropyl radical can react with chlorine gas (if present in the system) to form 2,2 - Dichloropropane:
(CH₃)₂CH•+ Cl₂ → (CH₃)₂CCl₂+ Cl•
2,2 - Dichloropropane is another important organic compound with applications in the synthesis of other chemicals and as a solvent in some industrial processes.
Factors Affecting Photochemical Reaction Products
The photochemical reaction products of 2 - Chloropropane can be influenced by several factors:
1. Light Intensity and Wavelength
The intensity of the UV light affects the rate of the photochemical reaction. Higher light intensity generally leads to a faster reaction rate because more photons are available to be absorbed by the 2 - Chloropropane molecules.
The wavelength of the light is also crucial. Different wavelengths of UV light have different energies. Shorter - wavelength UV light (e.g., UV - C with wavelengths around 200 - 280 nm) has higher energy and is more likely to break the C - Cl bond compared to longer - wavelength UV light (e.g., UV - A with wavelengths around 320 - 400 nm).
2. Reaction Environment
The presence of other substances in the reaction environment can significantly affect the reaction products. For example, the presence of oxygen can lead to the formation of peroxy radicals and oxygen - containing products as mentioned above. The presence of other hydrocarbons or reactive species can also participate in the reaction and lead to the formation of different products through radical - chain reactions.
3. Temperature
Although photochemical reactions are mainly driven by light energy, temperature can still have an impact. Higher temperatures can increase the mobility of the molecules and the rate of radical - combination reactions, which can affect the distribution of the reaction products.
Our Role as a CAS 78 - 63 - 7 Supplier
As a leading supplier of 2 - Chloropropane (CAS 78 - 63 - 7), we understand the importance of providing high - quality products for various applications, including those related to photochemical reactions. Our product is produced with strict quality control measures to ensure its purity and stability.
We also offer technical support to our customers. If you are interested in using 2 - Chloropropane for photochemical research or industrial applications, our team of experts can provide you with detailed information about the properties of the product, its handling, and storage requirements.
In addition to CAS 78 - 63 - 7, we also supply other related organic peroxides. For example, you can learn more about LPO | CAS 105 - 74 - 8 | Dilauroyl Peroxide, Di - Tert - Butyl Peroxide, and TBPIN | CAS 13122 - 18 - 4 | Tert - butylperoxy - 3,5,5 - trimethylhexanoate on our website.
If you are interested in purchasing 2 - Chloropropane or any of our other products, we invite you to contact us for a detailed discussion about your requirements. Our sales team is ready to assist you in finding the best solutions for your business needs. Whether you are conducting research on photochemical reactions or need a reliable supply of chemicals for industrial production, we are here to support you.
References
- Morrison, R. T., & Boyd, R. N. (1992). Organic Chemistry (6th ed.). Prentice - Hall.
- Turro, N. J. (1978). Modern Molecular Photochemistry. Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company.
- Calvert, J. G., & Pitts, J. N. (1966). Photochemistry. John Wiley & Sons.



