Conversion of carbon dissolved in iron powder into a mixture of hydrocarbons and acetone by heating with aqueous alkali metal salt solution

Abstract

Heating of iron powder containing carbon with aqueous alkali metal salt solution at 300°C gave a mixture of C 1C 6 hydrocarbons and acetone. Prolonged reaction of the iron powder with aqueous potassium carbonate solution gave larger amounts of hydrocarbons and acetone than the reaction with aqueous potassium hydroxide solution.