Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry
Photo
lysis:
From
photo
(light) and lysis (breaking). A reaction in which the absorption of light results in the breaking of
bond(s)
. More generally (but less rigorously) a chemical reaction brought about by the absorption of light.
hν
The
mechanism
for
radical
bromination
of an
alkane
begins with
photo
lysis of
molecular
bromine (Br
2
).
Related terms:
Photochemistry
,
excitation
,
ozone depletion
,
chain reaction
,
chain initiation
,
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