THE KINETICS OF THE PYROLYSIS OF ETHYL AND ISOPROPYL FORMATES AND ACETATES

Abstract

The pyrolysis of ethyl formate, isopropyl formate, ethyl acetate, and isopropyl acetate has been carried out under conditions which favor the decomposition of these esters into the corresponding acid and alkene to the exclusion of side reactions. The rate expressions found were: ethyl formate, k = 2.13 × 10 11 e −44,140 ± 200/RT sec −1 ; isopropyl formate, k = 3.8 × 10 12 e −44,000 ± 100/RT sec −1 ; ethyl acetate, k = 3.06 × 10 12 e −47,750 ± 100/RT sec −1 ; isopropyl acetate, k = 1.00 × 10 13 e −45,000 ± 100/RT sec −1 . The nature of the transition state is discussed and compared with that for similar decompositions.