The mechanism of the catalytic oxidation of ethylene - I. Experiments using a flow system

Abstract

Experiments have been made using a flow system to determine the mechanism of the catalytic oxidation of ethylene on a silver catalyst. The effects of time of contact of the gases with the catalyst, gas concentration, and temperature have been investigated. The products of reaction are ethylene oxide, and carbon dioxide and water. There appear to be two processes whereby the carbon dioxide is formed: (1) by direct oxidation of the ethylene not via ethylene oxide, and (2) by the further oxidation of the ethylene oxide. The isomerization of ethylene oxide to acetaldehyde by the catalyst in the absence of any oxygen has also been examined. By comparison with the oxidation of ethylene oxide, it has been shown that this latter reaction proceeds to a large extent, and possibly entirely, through a preliminary isomerization of the ethylene oxide to acetaldehyde. The rate of oxidation of acetaldehyde is extremely rapid and no trace of acetaldehyde is found during the oxidation of ethylene or of ethylene oxide. Ethylene oxide forms on the catalyst an involatile deposit, which is oxidized away by oxygen, so that during oxidation reactions the quantity of it on the catalyst is kept low. The kinetics of the oxidation of ethylene, i.e. rate of reaction proportional to the oxygen concentration and slightly dependent on the ethylene pressure, are consistent with the view that ethylene reacts with oxygen adsorbed on the catalyst and that the slowest step in the whole series of reactions is the rate of adsorption of the oxygen. An energy of activation of about 27 kcal. was found for the production of ethylene oxide, and slightly less for the production of carbon dioxide and consumption of oxygen.