Assessment of Free Radical Catalysis in Thermal Methyl Isocyanide Isomerization. Variation of Inert Gas Efficiency with k/k∞

Experiments have been made to assess the importance of radical chain effects in thermal isomerization of methyl isocyanide. Three bath gases, propylene, propane, and hexafluoroethane were studied at 230 °C over a small region of fall-off. The relative dilution with propane was varied widely. A negative search was made for possible secondary radical products. The values of K ∞ accord with earlier results in the pure system. It is believed that radical catalysis is minor. The observed collisional efficiency of the inert gases [Formula: see text] decreases with increase of k/k ∞ , in accord with previous theoretical predictions.