Mechanical Interatomic Bond Formation in Ethanol and Methanol-Ethanol Mixture by Laser-Driven Shock Waves

Molecules, which were predicted to be produced by C-C or C-O bond formation between ethanol molecules induced by a laser-driven shock wave, were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Moreover, the laser irradiation of a methanol-ethanol mixture revealed the formation of C-C and C-O bonds between both components. Particularly, four hemiacetals (methoxymethanol, 1-methoxyethanol, ethoxymethanol, and 1-ethoxyethanol) were identified in the Ar-saturated alcohol samples, whereas acetalization dominated sufficiently in the CO₂-saturated samples, significantly reducing the hemiacetals. It was verified that some molecules were produced by the dropout of an ethanol part during the C-C or C-O bond formation, supporting the contribution of laser-driven shock waves.