Acetone photolysis: Kinetic studies in a flow reactor

The photodecomposition of acetone vapor was studied in a tubular flow, differential reactor at atmospheric pressure and from 82 to 112°C. The products included significant amounts of biacetyl along with carbon monoxide and ethane. A rate equation was developed from a sequence of elementary reactions believed to explain the photolysis of acetone. The effects of light intensity and acetone concentration, indicated in the derived rate equation, were confirmed by the data. The rate is less than first‐order with respect to acetone, and this is believed to be due to reformation of stable acetone molecules by deactivation of CH 3 COCH 3 *.