The gas phase thermal decomposition of Benzoic acid.

Winter, G. K. (1968) The gas phase thermal decomposition of Benzoic acid. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The gas-phase thermal decomposition of benzoic acid has been investigated at 475.1, 486.0, and 498.5°C. The main reaction products were carbon dioxide and benzene. Carbon monoxide accounted for 5 to 20% of the total of carbon monoxide plus carbon dioxide, depending on whether or not a conditioning experiment was carried out prior to the reaction to be studied. Biphenyl and small quantities of hydrogen were also detected. The order of the carbon dioxide producing reaction was 1.25 while those of the reactions producing carbon monoxide and hydrogen were higher (tentatively second order). The Arrhenius equation for the production of carbon dioxide was -- k = 10¹³·¹⁴ exp (62,200/RT)1.·²⁵mole.⁻·²⁵sec.⁻¹ -- Reactions carried out in the presence of toluene -d₈ indicate that approximately 80% of the decomposition takes place by a molecular rearrangement. A free radical mechanism has been proposed to account for the remainder of the decomposition.

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