OXIDATION OF PROPENE IN THE GAS-PHASE

A series of laboratory and modelling experiments on the oxidation of p ropene in the gas phase has been undertaken to determine conditions wh ich give high yields of propene oxide. The conditions under which the experiments were conducted were 505-549 K and up to 4 bar pressure. It is proposed that propene oxide is formed from propene by reaction wit h several peroxy radicals including HO2 and CH3CO3. However, one of th e more important radicals is hydroxypropylperoxy. Its reaction with pr opene, under these conditions (107) HOCH2CHO2CH3 + C3H6 --> HOCH2CHOCH 3 + C3H6O is more important than concerted decomposition to formaldehy de and acetaldehyde. (C) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.