The molecular component in the thermal decomposition of azomethane

Abstract

The pyrolysis of isobutane sensitised by < 1.5% of azomethane has been investigated over the ranges 504–640 K and 40–300 Torr in reactors of differing surface/volume ratio and surface treatment. The previously suggested molecular component of the decomposition CH₃N₂CH₃→C₂H₆+ N₂ has been confirmed and shown to be a heterogeneous process. A small number of experiments at 577 K in which isobutane was replaced successively by propane, cyclopropane and chloroform gave essentially identical results for the molecular decomposition. Conditions in which azomethane can be used in a conventional investigation of the reactions of methyl radicals are discussed.