Dehydrochlorination of 1,2-Dichloropropane by CO2 Laser-Induced Breakdown; Comparison with Thermal Elimination

Abstract

Dehydrochlorination of 1,2‐dichloropropane (DCP) was conducted by thermal elimination and CO2 laser‐induced dielectric breakdown, which was induced by focusing the 10.6 μm lines of a CO2 TEA laser. Thermal dehydrochlorination proceeded by a four‐centered mechanism at > 425 °C and by a surface‐catalyzed radical process at < 400 °C. The product distribution of the breakdown‐induced reaction at < 400 °C resembled that of high temperature thermal elimination and the corresponding temperature was estimated to be > 2000 °C.