The unimolecular decomposition and dehydrogenation of ethanol initiate the branched chain reaction, and the 3 isomers of radical C2H5O determine the direction of the reaction chain branching.

• 乙醇氧化经裂解反应、脱氢反应最终形成支链反应，乙氧基C2H5O的三种同分异构体在链分支中决定了链分支的进行方向。