Pyrolysis of ethylbenzene by the toluene carrier method

The recombination of methyl and benzyl radicals resulted in low Arrhenius parameters for the unimolecular decomposition of ethylbenzene when studied by the toluene carrier method in a plug flow reactor. A similar investigation using a stirred flow reactor provided data which were used to calculate specific rates for this primary process, corrected for the reverse reaction, and resulted in the Arrhenius equation log10k(sec–1)=(14.70 ± 0.28)–(69,200 ± 1,300 cal mole–1)/4.576 T. Some limitations of the technique are discussed.