THE REACTION OF ACTIVE NITROGEN WITH PROPANE

Abstract

The reaction of nitrogen atoms with propane has been found to produce hydrogen cyanide as the main product, together with smaller amounts of acetylene, ethylene, and ethane, which were recovered at all propane flow rates. Complete consumption of nitrogen atoms was not attained at any propane flow rate used at 63 °C, but was attained at 250 °C for ratios of propane to nitrogen atoms greater than 1.3. An activation energy of 5.6 ± 0.6 kcal. and a steric factor between 10−2 and 10−3 was estimated from second order rate constants.