Secondary decomposition

The above processes constitute the first step of the reaction. They residt in rearrangement or decomposition secondary reactions forming acid, ketone, or aldehyde compounds. The ozonization reaction of double bonds is much faster and gives rise to ozonides which also decompose and yield many secondary products. In the case of aromatic rings instable triozonides are obtained and they decompose very quickly... 

After the primary step in a photochemical reaction, the secondary processes may be quite complicated, e.g. when atoms and free radicals are fcrnied. Consequently the quantum yield, i.e. the number of molecules which are caused to react for a single quantum of light absorbed, is only exceptionally equal to exactly unity. E.g. the quantum yield of the decomposition of methyl iodide by u.v. light is only about 10" because some of the free radicals formed re-combine. The quantum yield of the reaction of H2 -f- CI2 is 10 to 10 (and the mixture may explode) because this is a chain reaction. 

The autoclave is not the only component of an LDPE plant which may be exposed to a decomposition. Local hot spots in a secondary compressor may initiate a decomposition reaction consequendy it is necessary to protect these units from serious overpressure by pressure relieving devices and to release the products of the decomposition reactions safely. The problem of the aerial decomposition referred to eadier has been largely overcome by rapidly quenching the decomposition products as they enter the vent stack. 

Two secondary propagating reactions often accompany the initial peroxide decomposition radical-induced decompositions and -scission reactions. Both reactions affect the reactivity and efficiency of the initiation process. Peroxydicarbonates and hydroperoxides are particularly susceptible to radical-induced decompositions. In radical-induced decomposition, a radical in the system reacts with undecomposed peroxide, eg ... 

Most likely singlet oxygen is also responsible for the red chemiluminescence observed in the reaction of pyrogaHol with formaldehyde and hydrogen peroxide in aqueous alkaU (152). It is also involved in chemiluminescence from the decomposition of secondary dialkyl peroxides and hydroperoxides (153), although triplet carbonyl products appear to be the emitting species (132). 

Although primary and secondary alkyl hydroperoxides are attacked by free radicals, as in equations 8 and 9, such reactions are not chain scission reactions since the alkylperoxy radicals terminate by disproportionation without forming the new radicals needed to continue the chain (53). Overall decomposition rates are faster than the tme first-order rates if radical-induced decompositions are not suppressed. 

Primary and secondary dialkyl peroxides undergo thermal decompositions more rapidly than expected owing to radical-induced decompositions (73). Such radical-induced peroxide decompositions result in inefficient generation of free radicals. 

Decomposition products from primary and secondary dialkyl peroxides include aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, hydrogen, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide (44). 

Because di-/ fZ-alkyl peroxides are less susceptible to radical-induced decompositions, they are safer and more efficient radical generators than primary or secondary dialkyl peroxides. They are the preferred dialkyl peroxides for generating free radicals for commercial appHcations. Without reactive substrates present, di-/ fZ-alkyl peroxides decompose to generate alcohols, ketones, hydrocarbons, and minor amounts of ethers, epoxides, and carbon monoxide. Photolysis of di-/ fZ-butyl peroxide generates / fZ-butoxy radicals at low temperatures (75), whereas thermolysis at high temperatures generates methyl radicals by P-scission (44). 

Alkaline earth metal alkoxides decompose to carbonates, olefins, hydrogen, and methane calcium alkoxides give ketones (65). For aluminum alkoxides, thermal stability decreases as follows primary > secondary > tertiary the respective decomposition temperatures are ca 320°C, 250°C, and 140°C. Decomposition products are ethers, alcohols, and olefins. 

Metal Catalysis. Aqueous solutions of amine oxides are unstable in the presence of mild steel and thermal decomposition to secondary amines and aldehydes under acidic conditions occurs (24,25). The reaction proceeds by a free-radical mechanism (26). The decomposition is also cataly2ed by V(III) and Cu(I). 

Unreacted phosgene is removed from the cmde chloroformates by vacuum stripping or gas purging. Chloroformates of lower primary alcohols are distillable however, heavy-metal contamination should be avoided. As stated earlier, chloroformates generating a stable carbonium ion on decomposition, ie, secondary or tertiary chloroformates or henzylic chloroformates, are especially unstable in the presence of heavy metals and more specifically Lewis acids and, hence, should be distilled at as low a temperature and high vacuum as possible. 

Oxaziridines substituted in the 2-position with primary or secondary alkyl groups undergo decomposition at room temperature. In the course of some weeks, slow decomposition of undiluted compounds occurs, the pattern of which is analogous to that of acidic or alkaline N—O cleavage (Sections 5.08.3.1.3 and 4), Radical attack on a C—H bond in (109) effects N—O cleavage, probably synchronously (57JA5739). In the example presented here, methyl isobutyl ketone and ammonia were isolated after two hour s heating at 150 °C. 

The homolysis of tertiary hypochlorites for the production of oxy radicals is well known." The ease with which secondary hypohalites decompose to ketones has hampered the application of hypohalites for transannular reactions. However the tendency for the base-catalyzed heterolytic decomposition decreases as one passes from hypochlorites to hypobromites tohypoidites. Therefore the suitability of hypohalites for functionalization at the angular positions in steroids should increase in the same order. Since hypoidites (or iodine) do not react readily with ketones or carbon-carbon double bonds under neutral conditions hypoiodite reactions are more generally applicable than hypochlorite or hypobromite decompositions. 

The nitrites aie most conveniently prepared from the corresponding alcohols by treatment with nitrosyl chloride in pyridine. The crude nitrites can be precipitated by addition of water and recrystallized from appropriate solvents. However nitrites prepared from carbinols in which the adjacent carbon is substituted by halogen, free or esterified hydroxyl or a carbonyl function are very readily hydrolyzed and must be recrystallized with great care. In general the photolysis gives higher yields if purified and dried nitrites are used which do not contain acids or pyridine, although occasionally the addition of small amounts of pyridine is recommended in order to prevent hydrolysis of the nitrite. Traces of acids do in fact catalyze the thermal decomposition of secondary nitrites to equimolar amounts of alcohol and ketone. ... 

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