Pyrolysis of trifluoroacetaldehyde, initiated by di-tertiary-butyl peroxide decomposition

Abstract

The thermal decomposition of 95:5 mixtures of trifluoroacetaldehyde (TFA) and di-tert-butyl peroxide (DTBP) has been studied at 100 Torr over the temperature range of 390 to 440 K. The major decomposition products included CO, CF3H, CH3COCH3, and CH4 while C2F6, CF3CHOHCH3, CF3CH3, CF3COCH3, C2H6, (CF3)2CHOH, and H2 were also found. In addition to the usual reactions for TFA thermal decomposition, reactions of methyl radicals with TFA to form isopropoxyl radicals were found. The alcohol products result from H atom abstraction reactions of the isopropoxyl radicals while CF3COCH3 is a decomposition product. Arrhenius parameters for several reactions were determined: for DTBP decomposition, log k = 15.82 − 37.73/2.303RT; for H abstraction from TFA by CH3, log k = 8.30 − 7.37/2.303RT; for H abstraction from TFA by CF3, log k = 8.98 − 8.61/2.303RT. Consideration has also been given to several rate constant ratios for the formation and decomposition of isopropoxyl radicals.A study of the reaction order for the formation of CF3H, C2F6, and CH4 showed that the orders were 3/2, 1, and 1 respectively for these three products. A reaction mechanism involving 14 individual steps is proposed to explain the reaction products and the observed orders of reaction.