KINETIC STUDY OF THE OXIDATION OF n-BUTYL ETHER BY MOLECULAR OXYGEN IN THE LIQUID PHASE

1. The oxidation kinetics of n-butyl ether was studied at 313–353 K, and the oxidizability parameter K, the chain-initiation rate v0i, and the rate constant of degenerate chain branching k3i were determined. 2. In the initial oxidation stages only 65% of the absorbed oxygen is converted to ROOH. The unbalance in the ROOH formation and O2 absorption is explained by degradation of the α-alkoxy-α-hydroperoxylalkyl radical formed as a result of intramolecular chain transfer by the α-alkoxyalkylperoxy radical.