The kinetics of the addition of alkyl radicals to carbonyl groups. Part I. The addition of methyl radicals to hexafluoroacetone in the gas phase. The formation of the hexafluoro-t-butoxy radical

By pyrolyzing di-t-butyl peroxide over the temperature range of 405–450 K in the presence of hexafluoroacetone the kinetics of the addition reaction (1), CH₃ + (CF₃)₂CO→; (CF₃)₂C(?)CH₃, have been studied. Detailed analyses have shown that the principal product of the adduct radical, (CF₃)₂C(?)CH₃, is CF₃COCH₃ from reaction (2), (CF₃)₂C(?)CH₃ → CF₃COCH₃ + CF₃. The rate constant of the addition reaction was determined to be k₁(dm³/mol·s) = (1.1 ± 4.0) + 10⁹ exp(-(3680 ± 480)/T) over the temperature range 405–450 K, based on the value k₃ = 2.2 × 10¹⁰ dm³/mol·s for reaction (3), 2CH₃ → C₂H₆. The results are discussed in relation to existing data for radical additions to carbonyl groups.