The Zinc-Photosensitized Reaction of Propane

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/bcsj.61.3439

The zinc-photosensitized reaction of propane has been studied at a wavelength of 307.6 nm, a temperature of 633 K and pressures from about 67 to 40000 Pa.The major products were hydrogen, methane, ethylene, and dimethylbutane, while minor products detected were propylene, isobutane, ethane, butane, and hexane.The yield of hydrogen fell off with time.The quantum yield calculated from the initial rates is about unity and almost independent of the propane pressure, while the quantum yield obtained at 20 min increased with increasing propane pressure and approached about unity at higher pressures.The methane/hydrogen ratio was always smaller than unity and was independent of the propane pressure.The yield of ethylene increased linearly with an increase in that of methane.It has been concluded that the decomposition of propane is initiated through a hydrogen atom abstraction by an excited zinc atom from both the primary and secondary hydrogen of propane.Possible mechanisms are discussed.