Ethylene from methane radiolysis

The radiolysis of propane has been studied extensively in experiments that have included a wide range of techniques. The gas-phase radiolysis in the absence of inhibitors yields the products hydrogen, ethane, propene, 2,3-dimethylbutane, methane, ethylene, isobutane, acetylene, isopentane and n-butane as well as small quantities of butene-1, -pentane, 2-methylpentane and -hexane ° ° . At high conversions the yield of ethylene, propene, 2,3-dimethylbutane and isobutane are all reduced. The reduction in ethylene arises from hydrogen atom addition, while the reduction in the other products may arise from the reaction of propyl ions with propene to remove both C3H6 and the source of isopropyl radicals. 

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