Kinetics of the thermal decomposition of ethyl fluoride

Abstract

Ethyl fluoride decomposes at 410·5–465·5° to give ethylene and hydrogen fluoride. The decomposition is erratic in a clean Pyrex reaction vessel, and in vessels ‘seasoned’ with allyl bromide, but is homogeneous and first-order in vessels seasoned with ethyl fluoride. The rate constants are given by log k(sec.–1)= 13·31 –(58200/2·3 RT). The results are consistent with a unimolecular mechanism involving a four-centre transition state.