Pyrolyses in the presence of nitric oxide. Part I. Ethane

The formation of hydrogen, methane, and nitrogen during the very early stages of the pyrolysis of ethane in the presence of nitric oxide has been studied. ‘Inhibition curves’ for these products from ethane at 100 Torr and for nitric oxide at pressures between 0 and 300 Torr have been determined at 8 temperatures between 554 and 603 °C. A new mechanism for the formation of nitrogen is proposed that is based on the low-temperature mechanism of nitric oxide disproportionation by alkyl radicals. A new termination reaction is proposed for the principal chain ending step in the presence of nitric oxide.