Pyrolysis of butane-2,3‑dione from low to high pressures: Implications for methyl-related growth chemistry

Abstract

In order to investigate the pressure-dependent effects of carbon chain growth from methyl radical, pyrolysis experiments of butane-2,3‑dione (also known as diacetyl) were conducted both in a flow reactor over 780–1520 K at low and atmospheric pressures and in a jet-stirred reactor (JSR) over 650–1130 K at 10 bar. Identification and quantification of the intermediates were achieved by synchrotron vacuum ultraviolet photoionization mass spectrometry in a flow reactor and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and gas chromatography in a JSR. A pyrolysis model of butane-2,3‑dione, incorporating the sub-mechanisms of butane-2,3‑dione, ketene, C1–C4 hydrocarbons and the formation of benzene, was developed from our recently reported C1 model in this work. It was validated against the present pyrolysis data of butane-2,3‑dione and the pyrolysis data of C2–C4 hydrocarbon fuels and ketene in the literature. Generally, the present model could reasonably predict all the experimental targets. Based on the rate of production analysis, the unimolecular decomposition reaction (CH3COCOCH3 (+ M) = 2CH3CO (+ M)) is the dominant pathway to consume the fuel at low pressure. However, at atmospheric and high pressures, both the unimolecular decomposition reaction and the H abstraction reaction of butane-2,3‑dione by methyl radical are important. Ketene, acetone and acetaldehyde were measured in this work and their formation is also pressure dependent. For the methyl-related growth chemistry, addition-elimination reactions play an important role at low pressure. Their contribution becomes less at atmospheric pressure and can be neglected at high pressure. In contrast, the combination reactions are responsible for methyl-related growth at high pressure. For the formation of benzene, the recombination of propargyl radical is the most important pathway at low pressure, while the H-assisted isomerization reaction of fulvene becomes dominant at atmospheric and high pressures.