Solvent and external pressure effects on the ratio of the cyanoisopropyl radical recombination and disproportionation rates

A GC-MS analysis of the azobisisobutyronitrile thermal decomposition products of in solutions at 80°C showed that the ratio of recombination and disproportionation rates of the cyanoisopropyl radical does not depend on the medium viscosity, but increases when the internal pressure of the solvent increases according to the log(k _dispr/k _rec) = ?1.25 + 0.096 P _int ^0.5 law. This means that the activation volume corresponding to recombination is larger than that corresponding to disproportionation. It follows from the relationship log(k _dispr/k _rec) = (ΔV _rec ^≠ ? Δv _dispr ^≠ )ΔP/RT that, for the decomposition of the substrate in benzene under a pressure of 0.5–4.0 kbar, the difference between the activation volumes is ΔV _rec ^≠ ? ΔV _dispr ^≠ = 8 cm³/mol.