Manchester Memoirs, Vol. Ivi. (191 2), No. 0. 



VI. The Synthesis of Hydrocarbons and their Stability 

 at High Temperatures and Pressures. 



By J. N. Tring, D.Sc, 



AND 



D. M. Fairlie, M.Sc. 



{Read November 2Slh, igii. Received fo>- publication December glh, igii.) 



Carbon and hydrogen, even when in a pure condition, 

 have been found to react directly to give methane at all 

 temperatures up to 1600 , ethylene at 1200' and above, 

 though not in any considerable quantity below 1400 — 

 1500^, and acetylene at 1700° and above.* 



It was found that no other hydrocarbon can be formed 

 or can exist at any temperature above 1200 . 



If the whole of the reaction vessel is at a uniform 

 temperature, the formation of these h}'drocarbons will 

 proceed until a certain equilibrium value is in each case 

 reached, when further action ceases, and if, to begin with, 

 any of these hydrocarbons are added in quantities in 

 excess of this value, then decomposition takes place until 

 the same final equilibrium is reached. 



The difficulty which was encountered in measuring 

 the equilibrium value of methane is due to the fact that at 

 1200" and at atmospheric pressure, the reaction between 

 h)'drogen and pure carbon is too slow to enable this 



* Pring & Ilutton, Trans. Chem. Soc. (1906), 89, 1591. 

 Mayer & Altmayer, Ber. (1907), 40, 2134. 

 Bone & Coward, l^rans. Chem. Soc. (1908), 93, 1975 ; {1910), 97, 



1219. 

 Pring, ibid {i(^lo), 97, 498. 

 Pring & Fairlie, ibid [\()\i), 99, 1796 ; (1912), lOI, 91. 



March Stk, igi2, 



