Thermal decomposition of p-methyl-p'-nitrobenzoyl and bis-p-nitrobenzoyl peroxides

Abstract

Differential enthalpic analysis was carried out below the melting point as well as at regular increases of temperature over the melting point of peroxides. From these measurements it follows that the thermal stabilities of peroxides in the solid state increase with their melting points. The rise in the melting point of the peroxide due to changed chemical structure is accompanied by a rise in the melting points of products which in turn affects the isothermal autocatalytic decomposition. The common feature of the thermal decomposition of the peroxides studied below their melting points is a very high apparent activation energy of the initiation of a chain decomposition reaction which is several times higher than that of a spontaneous thermal decomposition of peroxide in solution or in a melt of peroxide. p]From the study of the decomposition of nitro derivatives of benzoyl peroxide in solution it is known 1 that the electron attracting nitro-substituents have a retarding effect on the spontaneous decomposition of peroxides. The introduction which accompanies its thermal decomposition in solution 2. However not only the substitution of nitro groups in the molecule but also the presence of nitro compounds accelerates the decomposition of benzoyl peroxide 3. This indicates that the decomposition reaction may be influenced not only by an intramolecular rearrangement of electrons but also by an intermolecular interaction of nitro compounds with the peroxidic compounds or radicals generated by them. The substitution of methyl groups for hydrogen in aromatic rings does not produce any marked changes in the decomposition reactions of benzoyl peroxide 2. p]Among other changes produced by substitution, the physical changes—in particular, the changes in the melting points of investigated substances—are of importance to out study of the thermal decomposition of nitro derivatives of nitro derivatives of benzoyl peroxide. These data are interesting mainly because the decomposition of peroxides is influenced by the state of aggregation of the decomposing substances.