Pyrolysis of Organic Compounds. I. Kinetic Study of the Pyrolysis of Toluene

Abstract

Abstract Pyrolysis of toluene by the flow technique was carried out under various conditions, and the velocity was measured over the wide temperature range 737∼953°C at contact time 0.02∼0.3 sec. The relation of logk versus 1/T appears to be linear, but the more precise analysis shows a slight concave nature, and therefore activation energy tends to increase, as the reaction temperature is raised. Detailed investigation on its cause was made, and it is presumed that such an increase of activation energy with rise of temperature is mainly brought about by some competitive reaction, but not by experimental conditions. The present author considers that the involvement of ring-hydrogen reaction may compete with the reaction of fission of C–H bond of the methyl group, and such competitive reaction may modify the activation energy of the fission of the methyl bond of toluene, if the experiment is carried out over the wide reaction temperature range.