Collect. Czech. Chem. Commun. 1990, 55, 2455-2459
https://doi.org/10.1135/cccc19902455

CO2 laser induced decomposition of propylene oxide

Marie Jakoubková and Josef Pola

Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, 165 02 Prague 6-Suchdol

Abstract

The continuous-wave (cw) CO2 laser induced decomposition of propylene oxide yields propanal, propanone and methyl vinyl ether as primary isomerization products. The absence of allylol and great amounts of ethene among products of ensuing fragmentation of primary products make the reaction different from conventional thermal decomposition of propylene oxide. CW CO2 laser induced decomposition of methyl vinyl ether affords propanal as isomerization product and shows thermal interconvertibility of propylene oxide and methyl vinyl ether.