ChemInform Abstract: PYROLYSIS OF TRIFLUOROACETALDEHYDE. THE FORMATION OF TRIFLUOROMETHANE AND HEXAFLUOROETHANE

The thermal decomposition of trifluoroacetaldehyde at temperatures f 471 to 519°C has been studied by measuring the rates of formation of CF3H and C2F6. It is concluded that the high-pressure reaction mechanism involves a Rice-Herzfeld reaction scheme with first-order initiation and second-order termination via CF3 combination. However, a falloff in reaction rates is observed at pressures below 100 mmHg. The Arrhenius parameters of the three rate constants corresponding to the overall reaction, the initiation reaction, and an abstraction reaction have been evaluated.