Thermal Behaviour of Selected C₁₀H₁₆ Monoterpenes

Abstract

Abstract The presented work investigates the thermal behaviour of selected monoterpenes under various reactor temperatures and residence times (carrier gas, reactor inserts). In addition to the analysis of the liquid products by capillary GC and GC‐MS, chemical derivatisation techniques (Diels–Alder reaction, hydrogenation) were used to identify the liquid‐phase products. A thermal conversion of β‐pinene ( 1 ), myrcene ( 2 ) and limonene ( 4 ) in a reaction network is presented and the experimental evidence for the formation of pyrolysis products by a biradical pathway is discussed. The reaction network was modified based on the identification of additional C 10 H 16 terpene isomers. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)