Homogeneous Oxidation Of Propane To Produce Peroxides

Peroxide is an important addition agent in chemical industry, especially in polymer field, and widely used as reaction intermediates such as initiators, curing agents, crosslinkers, oxidants and so on. Homogeneous oxidation of alkanes is an effective and direct method to make full use of alkanes which is interested and pursued in industry and academy. Propane is chosen as the smallest molecule with bothα-H andβ-H, which can be taken as a representative of alkanes. The aim of the issue is to research the process of homogeneous oxidation of propane to produce peroxides, in which flow reactor is used. Firstly, qualitative and quantitative methods of the reaction productions are established, especially for the organic peroxide isopropylhydroperoxide in the liquid products. Based on the analysis, the influence of operation conditions is investigated, defining the available region, that is C3Hg:O2=1:3, total flow 30 ml/min, decreasing temperature distribution 330-300-250℃, besides the perfect condition, that is having high active oxygen content with nearly no gas phase products. Homogeneous oxidation of propane is a kind of radical reaction, in which heterogeneous reaction plays an important role. Based on the homogeneous oxidation mechanism of propane, the wall effect is also included. It shows that wall has both objective and inhibitive effects on the process. On one hand, the wall effect improves the chain initiation, on the other hand, the accumulations on the wall change the reaction path to decompose the peroxides as it is accumulated to some extent.