The thermal decomposition of azoethane (AE) was studied by detailed product analysis in the temperature and pressure intervals 508–598 K and 2.7–13.3 kPa. Besides the hydrocarbon products, three characteristic and quantitatively important nitrogen-containing compounds were also determined: ethyl-2-butyldiimide, ethanal-diethylhydrazone, and tetraethyl-hydrazine. Apart from the predominant termination reactions of the ethyl radical with itself and with the μ2 radical, the decomposition is characterized by a very short chain reaction. The measurements led to determination of the following rate constants and rate constant ratios: for the following reactions:
for the following reactions: 