A DFT study on the mechanism of methyl indan formation in tetralin pyrolysis

The mechanism of methyl indan formation during tetralin pyrolysis was investigated by using the density functional theory (DFT). The results showed that 1-methyl indan is the main conformation of methyl indan products from tetralin pyrolysis. As the main route of 1-methyl indan formation during tetralin pyrolysis, β tetralin radical was first formed through H abstraction by radical species from tetralin, which then endures a ring contraction reaction to form 1-methyl indan. High temperature can promote the formation of 1-methyl indan, but has little effect on the formation routes of 1-methyl indan.