THE DECOMPOSITION OF 1,3,5-TRIOXANE AT VERY HIGH-TEMPERATURES

The decomposition of 1,3,5-trioxane has been studied in shock waves by the laser schlieren technique from 900 to 3000 K. Dissociation was observed over the range 950-1270 K, the measurements confirming that formaldehyde is the sole product. An RRKM fit to the measured rates suggests log10k∞(s-1)=(15.86-50.0 kcal/mol)/2.3RT in this range. The RRKM model predicts rates and falloff in close agreement with previous low temperature studies, and, in agreement with the experiments, predicts large dissociation rates, k>106 s-1, above 1350 K, so that this dissociation is well separated from that of its product formaldehyde up to 3000 K. © 1990.