Polymer reactions. IV. Thermal decomposition of polypropylene hydroperoxides

The thermal decomposition of polypropylene hydroperoxide (PPH) consists of two consecutive reactions. The initial, faster reaction has rates up to 60 times that of the slower process. The former is largely suppressed by the addition of an excess of 2,6‐di‐ tert ‐butyl‐ p ‐cresol. The course of reaction is the same in either solid state or in solution. The results are consistent with an intramolecular radical‐induced mechanism for the initial reaction. This faster reaction consumes about 70–95% of the total hydroperoxides. The decomposition of PPH yields a maximum of about 1.8 radicals. Samples prepared from crystalline and amorphous polypropylenes have identical decomposition kinetics.