The kinetics of the gas-phase thermal decomposition of chlorodifluoromethane

Abstract

The decomposition of chlorodifluoromethane has been studied over the temperature range 454—523 °C with initial pressure of reactant between 100 and 550 Torr. The initial products of the reaction are tetrafluoroethylene and hydrogen chloride and the decomposition is of the first order in chlorodifluoromethane in the early stages. Inhibition by hydrogen chloride becomes important as the reaction proceeds, and it is essentially homogeneous and unaffected by propene. Direct evidence is presented that difluoromethylene is an intermediate in the reaction and it is concluded that the initial steps in the mechanism are (1)—(3). CF₂HCl = CF₂+ HCl (1), CF₂+ HCl = CF₂HCl (2), CF₂+ CF₂= C₂F₄(3)