Thermal stability of primary amines

Tertiary‐amyl amine has been decomposed in single‐pulse shock‐tube experiments. Rate expressions for several of the important primary steps are\documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$$ k(t{\rm C}_5 {\rm H}_{11 - {\rm NH}_2} \to t{\rm C}_5 {\rm H}_{11}\!\!\cdot + {\rm NH}_2\cdot) = 10^{15.9} \exp (-39,700/T)\sec ^{- 1} $$\end{document}\documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$$ k({\rm C}_2 {\rm H}_5- {\rm C}({\rm CH}_3)_2{\rm NH}_2 \to {\rm C}_2 {\rm H}_5 \cdot + \cdot{\rm C}({\rm CH}_3)_2{\rm NH}_2) = 10^{16.5} \exp (- 38,500/T)\sec ^{- 1} $$\end{document}\documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$$ k(t{\rm C}_5 {\rm H}_{11} {\rm NH}_2 \to {\rm C}_5 {\rm H}_{10} + {\rm NH}_3) <10^{14.5} \exp (- 37,200/T)\sec ^{- 1} $$\end{document} This leads to D (CH 3 H) – D (NH 2 H) = −10.5 kJ and D [(CH 3 ) 3 CH] – D [(CH 3 ) 2 NH 2 CH] = + 6 kJ. The present and earlier comparative rate single‐pulse shock‐tube data when combined with high‐pressure hydrazine decomposition results‐(after correcting for fall off effects through RRKM calculations) gives\documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$$ [k_r^2 (t{\rm C}_5 {\rm H}_{11} \cdot,{\rm NH}_2 \cdot)/k_r (t{\rm C}_5 {\rm H}_{11} \cdot,t{\rm C}_5 {\rm H}_{11} \cdot)k_r ({\rm NH}_2 \cdot,{\rm NH}_2 \cdot)]^{1/2} \sim 2\,{\rm at}\,1100^o {\rm K} $$\end{document}where k r (…) is the recombination rate involving the appropriate radicals. This suggests that in this context amino radical behavior is analogous to that of alkyl radicals. If this agreement is exact, then\documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$$ k_\infty ({\rm N}_2 {\rm H}_4 \to 2{\rm NH}_2 \cdot) = 10^{16.25} \exp (- 32,300/T)\sec ^{- 1} $$\end{document}Rate expressions for the primary step in the decomposition of a variety of primary amines have been computed. In the case of benzyl amine where data exist the agreement is satisfactory. The following differences in bond energies have been estimated:\documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$$ D(i{\rm C}_3 {\rm H}_7 {-\!-} {\rm H}) {-\!-} D[{\rm CH}_3 ({\rm NH}_2){\rm CH} {-\!-} {\rm H}] = 14.3\,{\rm kJ} $$\end{document}\documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$$ D({\rm C}_2 {\rm H}_5 {-\!-} {\rm H}) - D({\rm NH}_2 {\rm CH}_2 {-\!-} {\rm H}) = 15.9\,{\rm kJ} $$\end{document}