FACILE PRODUCTION OF HIGHER HYDROCARBONS FROM ETHANE IN A CATALYTIC SUPERSONIC NOZZLE

Flowing ethane, typically at 80 Torr, 1000 degrees C, and 10 ms contac t time, through a supersonic nozzle made of nickel or molybdenum conve rts roughly il 40% to higher hydrocarbons. In the mass spectra of the products, CnHm, the most prominent peaks contain even numbers of carbo n atoms (n = 4, ..., 12), but there are also substantial peaks with od d carbon atom numbers (n = 3,..., 11). The largest peaks have m = n hy drogen atoms, but many others also appear. For n = 6 the mass spectrum indicates benzene is probably the sole product, with yield up to 15%. Under the same conditions methane does not form higher hydrocarbons.