“…In confirmation of this, we have found that small amounts are very effective in promoting the chain decomposition of other compounds,2 and can be used to initiate chain reactions from 400 to 450°, just as azometbane has been used around 300°. 8 The catalysis of acetaldehyde by ethylene oxide is of special interest, firstly, as it is formed from ethylene oxide by isomerization and so any investigations on the decomposition of ethylene oxide must necessarily consider the chain decomposition of acetaldehyde, and secondly, because the kinetics are simplified by the fact that only one type of radical, the methyl radical, need be considered.…”