Effects of Ultrasound on Aqueous Methyl Iodide

The irradiation of a heterogeneous system of methyl iodide and water with high‐intensity ultrasound causes a free radical reaction to occur. The reaction was followed to its completion by measuring the volume of the gases liberated and the conductivity of the solution. The gaseous, liquid, and solid products were collected and identified. The gases liberated were principally methane along with lesser amounts of ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene, acetylene, butane, etc. The main liquid product was methylene iodide, whereas ethylene iodide was the main solid product. Hydrogen iodide and iodine were also formed. Methylene iodide, which has a low vapor pressure, was not decomposed by ultrasound. This observation supports the hypothesis that the aqueous methyl iodide reaction takes place in the vapor phase.