Abstract

WISNIAK, Jaime. Daniel Berthelot: Part III. Contribution to photochemistry. Educ. quím [online]. 2010, vol.21, n.4, pp.314-323. ISSN 0187-893X.

Daniel Berthelot (1865-1927) used ultraviolet radiation from the mercury vapor lamp to carry out a series of oxidation and polymerization reactions, and proved that many reactions carried on by electrolysis could also be performed by photolysis. In doing so he discovered a myriad of unknown phenomena. By exposing to the action of UV a mixture of water and carbon dioxide, he achieved the synthesis of formic acid which then condensed and polymerized to produce vegetable sugars. A mixture of CO₂ and NH₃ gave rise to the simplest of the quaternary compounds, formamide, which represents the starting point for albuminous or proteinic substances, the basis of living matter.

Keywords : photochemistry; synthesis of chemicals; photolysis; actinometer.