Abstract: Using BHT (butylated hydroxyltoluene, i.e.,2,6-ditertbutyl-4-methylphenol) as a radical trap, the reaction mechanism for oxidation of supercritical propane catalyzed by β-hexa-heptabromo-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl) porphyrinato iron was investigated. A small amount of BHT significantly promoted the reaction, whereas its extra amount restrained the reaction. Besides the propyl radical, the isopropoxy radical and a small quantity of oxidation products such as n-hexane, i-hexane, and di-isopropyl peroxide were detected, being the very important evidence to the reaction mechanism of radical chain autooxidation. The minimum other products such as ethanol, acetic acid, and propionic acid could not be explained upon this reaction mechanism.

Key words: supercritical propane, radical, catalytic oxidation, β-hexa-heptabromo-tetrakis (pentafluorophenyl) porphyrinato iron, 6-ditertbutyl-4-methylphenol