Thermal decomposition of ethyl acetate. Branching ratio of the competing paths in the pyrolysis of the produced acetic acid

The thermal decomposition of ethyl acetate was investigated in the temperature range of 1300–1800 K using a shock tube. The initial process was a unimolecular decomposition producing equimolar ethylene and acetic acid. In the higher temperature range acetic acid decomposed consecutively through the following reaction paths: CH3COOH→CH2CO+H2O and CH3COOH→CH4+CO2. At low densities the yield of the products from the latter reaction decreased in comparison with that of normal acetic acid. This tendency was opposite to that for formic acid produced from ethyl formate.