Ultrasound Chemical Effects on Pure Organic Liquids.

Molecular fragmentation of organic liquids was produced by cavitation due to ultrasound waves, even in the absence of water. The sonolysis of acetonitrile under argon yielded N(2), CH(4), and H(2); but under oxygen the products were N(2), CO, CO(2), and H(2)O. Pure nonaqueous carbon tetrachloride also underwent sonolytic decomposition under either argon or oxygen, with the production of elemental chlorine.