Carbon-Hydrogen Bond Strengths in Methane

Abstract

Earlier formulas for the electron‐pair bonding energies of methane, and radicals derivable from methane, are combined with recent data on the energy levels of the carbon atom, the heat of sublimation of carbon, the energy for removal of the first hydrogen, and the dissociation energy of CH to obtain the energies of CH₃ and CH₂. A consistent set of values is found which is in agreement with a heat of sublimation of carbon of 120–140 kcal. and gives for the energies of successive removals of hydrogen atoms from methane 101, 90, 80, and 80 kcal., respectively.