The thermal decomposition of dibenzyl

Abstract

The opening pages of this section are devoted to a review of the evidence revealed by the various experiment al techniques which have been applied to the problem. The relationships between the several products and their variations with temperature and pressure have been illustrated graphically and the significance of thane change discussed. The lack of stoichiometric balance is also considered and some possible explanations proposed. This is followed by an outline of the various mechanisms which are available for the production of the resultants in the observed quantities, and the relative merits of these are discussed. On the basis of this discussion a value is proposed for the dissociation energy of the central c-c bond. The final section is concerned with the conclusions which can be drawn from this value regarding the energies involved in other steps of the reaction and their significance in the general scheme of bond energies.