The addition of methyl radicals to tetrafluoroethylene

The addition of methyl radicals to tetrafluoroethylene in the gas phase has been studied over the temperature range 80–180°C, using a material balance method. Arrhenius parameters of 1011.95±0.23 (mole−1 cm3 sec−1) and 5.7 ± 0.4 (kcal/mole) have been measured for the addition reaction. Electrophilic reagents such as O or CF3 appear to react almost equally readily with ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene but methyl radicals add much more rapidly to tetrafluoroethylene than to ethylene, the difference in reactivity being principally due to an activation energy difference of ∼2 kcal/mole.