MECHANISM OF GAS-FORMATION IN CATALYTIC DECOMPOSITION OF POLYPROPYLENE

The catalytic decomposition of polypropylene was studied. The producti on of gas precursors was found essential to decomposition. Attempts we re made to elucidate the gas formation mechanism. The most important e lementary reaction is the intramolecular rearrangement of chain-end se condary carbonium ions in the liquid fraction to inner tertiary carbon atoms; the C-9 fraction was produced by beta-scission of the rearrang ed ions. The C4 and C5 fractions were subsequently obtained by the dec omposition of the C-9 fraction.