Chapter 20, Problem 20.87E

Pyrolysis involves heating compounds to break them into smaller molecules, and typically involves free-radical chain reactions. Pyrolysis of crude oil fractions is a common method of making smaller hydrocarbons from large-chain hydrocarbons. Pyrolysis of ethane, ${\text{C}}_{\text{2}}{\text{H}}_{\text{6}}$, forms ethylene and hydrogen gases ( ${\text{C}}_{\text{2}}{\text{H}}_4$ and ${\text{H}}_2$ ) as the primary products. Suggest a mechanism for this pyrolysis reaction, labeling your reactions as initiation, propagation, and termination steps.