Catalytic inhibition of hydrocarbon autoxidation by secondary amines and nitroxides

Abstract

Abstract A study has been made of the catalytic inhibition of the autoxidation of hydrocarbons at 130°C by secondary amines and derivatives thereof (hydroxylamines and nitroxides). Owing to a better resistance towards side‐reactions that cause decomposition of the inhibitor, certain dialkylamines are much more efficient than diarylamines. Some of the dialkylamines examined are capable of scavenging several hundreds of propagating radicals per molecule of inhibitor in autoxidizing alkanes and a few thousand radicals in autoxidizing n ‐hexylbenzene.