The kinetics of the oxidation of gaseous hydrocarbons II-The oxidation of ethane

Abstract

It has been repeatedly stated that aldehydes are of importance in the oxidation of saturated hydrocarbons. Thus in discussing the question Kassel says "Taking the results of these two investigations together it is clear that the general nature of hydrocarbon oxidation involves aldehyde formation followed by a chain oxidation of the aldehyde . . . Under favourable conditions the excited molecules which carry the chain may crack a considerable amount of the original hydrocarbon." In the previous paper of this series it was shown that the addition of acetaldehyde to ethylene-oxygen mixtures had no effect. Hence normal acetaldehyde molecules and their products of oxidation weer not effective in the propagation or continuation of the chain process.