ON THE MECHANISM OF OXIDATION OF trans-DECAHYDRONAPHTHALENE AT 100 °C.
The mechanism of oxidation of the trans-isomer of decahydronaphthalene (trans-decalin) by gaseous oxygen at 100 °C. has been studied. The rate of retention of oxygen by decalin and the rates of formation of three volatile oxidation products were measured over the first 100 to 200 hr. of the oxidation reaction. The rate of retention of oxygen has been found to be independent of the oxygen concentration in the oxidizing gases but to depend on decalin concentration to the three-halves power. The rates of formation of the volatile oxidation products are also independent of oxygen concentration but are proportional to the decalin concentration. The activation energies of each of the reactions were determined. An initiating reaction forming carbon monoxide and hydrogen has been postulated based on the ratio of the rates of formation of the volatile compounds in the inhibited period of oxidation. Some data on the mechanism of the oxidation reaction in the accelerated period have also been obtained.