High-temperature pyrolysis of dimethyl ether

The kinetics of pyrolysis of dimethyl ether wexre studied in an adiabatic flow reactor at temperatures between 790 and 950°C. The unimolecular rate constant for the initiating step CH₃OCH₃ = CH₃O + CH₃ was found to be k₁ = 2.16 × 10¹⁵e^?76,600/RTsec^?1. Aspects of the kinetic mechanism are discussed and a system postulated to account for the high-temperature products.