Radiation-induced catalysis of fatty acids adsorbed onto clay minerals

We studied the behavior of small fatty (acetic acid) and dicarboxylic acids (succinic and malonic acids) adsorbed onto Na+-montmorillonite (a clay mineral) and exposed to gamma radiation. A decarboxylation reaction was found to predominate when the clay was present. This preferential synthesis promoted the formation of a compound with one less carbon atom than its target compound. In the system without clay, dimerization was the predominate outcome following radiolysis.