Thermal Decomposition Reaction of Acetone Triperoxide in Toluene Solution

The thermal decomposition reaction of acetone cyclic triperoxide (3,3,6,6,9,9-hexamethyl-1,2,4,5,7,8-hexaoxacyclononane, ACTP) in the temperature range of 130.0-166.0 degrees C and an initial concentration of 0.021 M has been studied in toluene solution. The thermolysis follows first-order kinetic laws up to at least ca. 78% acetone triperoxide conversion. Under the experimental conditions, a radical-induced decomposition reaction as a competing mechanism may be dismissed, so the activation parameters correspond to the unimolecular thermal decomposition reaction of the ACTP molecule [delta H++ = 41.8 (+/- 1.6) kcal mol-1 and delta S++ = 18.5 (+/- 3.8) cal mol-1K-1]. Analysis of the reaction products are not enough to elucidate the real mechanism for the thermolysis of the acetone triperoxide in toluene solution.