Appraisal of the length of heterogeneous chains in the low-temperature oxidation reaction of aldehydes

The low-temperature oxidation of acetaldehyde and propionaldehyde in reaction vessels with a relatively developed surface is a complex process involving many homogeneous and heterogeneous steps. The oxidation process is known to proceed through a radical chain reaction probably not only in the gas phase, but also on the solid surface. The mean values of the length of heterogeneous chains have been estimated on the basis of experimental data by comparison of the complex reaction rate with the rate of model reaction between the adsorbed forms of peroxy radicals and aldehyde. As follows from the calculations, the adsorbed forms of peroxy radicals develop a chain, the length of which is equal to ∼50.