Quenching of pyrolysis products of p-xylene in toluene-kinetic studies of acetone-soluble products

Abstract

Pyrolysis of p-xylene was carried out in a tubular reactor at partial pressures varying from 0.184 kPa to 2.199 kPa with steam as a diluent. The product stream was quenched in toluene, and the solid products formed in quenching were shown to consist of p-cyclophane (acetone insoluble) and linear dimer, linear trimer and one immovable component (in TLC analysis) constituting the acetone-soluble part. Their rates of formation in the quencher were experimentally determined. The kinetic model which was used to explain the rate data of p-cyclophane formation was extended to include the formation of linear dimer and trimer of p-xylene. The rate expressions derived from the kinetic model were shown to be consistent with experimental results.