The formation of aromatic hydrocarbons at high temperatures. XXIII. The pyrolysis of anthracene

Abstract

The pyrolysis of anthracene at 700° has given a tar containing ten polycyclic hydrocarbons all of which are probably formed by the scission of carbon-hydrogen bonds to give anthryl radicals followed by further reaction with anthracene. The pyrolysis of anthracene at 950° gave a much more complex tar in which 25 aromatic hydrocarbons have been identified. The major constituent was found to be phenanthrene. It is suggested that this is formed via tetrahydroanthracene and tetrahydrophenanthrene. It is also suggested that the complexity of the tar is due to the scission of the saturated carbon-carbon bonds in tetrahydroanthracene and tetrahydrophenanthrene, followed by further reaction of the fragments.