Relative rates of reaction of olefins in combustion with oxygen and in oxidation with aqueous potassium permanganate

Abstract

With a view to investigating the relative rates of combustion of the olefins, known mixtures of ethylene and propene and of ethylene and isobutene were exploded with oxygen, and the proportion of each olefin remaining unburned was found by analysis of the products. One slow combustion was also made of a mixture of ethylene and isobutene. In every case propene or isobutene burned faster than ethylene.

To test their relative ease of oxidation by potassium permanganate, known mixtures of ethylene and isobutene were dissolved in water and oxidized by a deficiency of permanganate. Then the proportion of each olefin unoxidized was found by boiling out the gases and analyzing them. Here again isobutene reacted faster than ethylene.

Calculations of the relative rates of reaction based on a formula developed by Francis, Hill, and Johnston are given.