Early chemical intermediates following corona discharge on benzene derivatives: CH addition favored products

Using molecular beam time of flight methods, we have stabilized and mass characterized neutral products arising following corona discharges on benzene derivatives seeded in rare gas. Products observed were generally not straightforwardly related to electron impact fragments. With toluene, benzene, o-xylene, and m-xylene, single higher mass product peaks were observed, corresponding to net addition of CH. The presence of oxygen in the discharge gas had potent effects in redirecting the intermediate chemistry. Even in the absence of oxygen, discharges on chlorobenzene in rare gas did not produce a high mass product analogous to the hydrocarbon benzene derivatives.