Pyrolysis of toluene using a static system
Abstract
The pyrolysis of toluene was investigated in the temperature range 920–970 K and the effect of hydrogen sensitization was studied at temperatures around 820 K. The unsensitized reaction is autocatalytic and the gaseous products, methane and hydrogen, are formed with different energies of activation (E(H2)= 74 kcal/mol; E(CH4)= 89.4 kcal/mol). Hydrogen accelerates the reaction and the overall reaction rate is determined by the relationship d[CH4]/dt= 1011.44 exp (–58 800/RT)[H2][C6H5CH3]½1. mol–1 s–1. The rate k1 of initiation is given by k1= 1015.96 exp(–88 900/RT) s–1 and an estimate of k12= 109.45 exp(–14,500/RT) 1. mol–1 s–1 is made of the rate constant for the reaction, C6H5CH2+ H2= C6H5CH3+ H. (12)