TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The reaction chamber is substantially cylindrical. The vortex flow is a reverse vortex flow. The reagent inlet for creating the reverse vortex flow comprises a gas supply and at least one gas inlet nozzle oriented tangentially relative to the wall of the plasma reactor. The reactor comprises first and second ends. The reagent inlet is located proximate to the first end. The reactor further comprises a second inlet fluidly connected to the second end of the reactor. The second electrode is positioned a substantially constant distance from the first electrode during operation of the reactor. The first electrode is positioned proximate to the first end the reactor and at least a portion of the second electrode is positioned in the reaction chamber to create a gap between the anode and the cathode for initiation of a plasma generating electrical arc at the gap. The second electrode is a spiral shaped electrode. A distal end of the spiral shaped electrode, relative to the position of the first electrode, terminates in a circular ring shape. The second electrode is a combination of a spiral shaped electrode and a circular ring electrode. The second electrode is a movable electrode which can be positioned in a first position to create a gap between the second electrode and the first electrode for electric arc ignition, and in a second position, after electric arc ignition, at a greater distance from the first electrode to provide a stable plasma in the reaction chamber. The reactor further comprises at least one heat exchanger for preheating at least one reagent for feeding to the plasma reactor by heat exchange with at least one product from said plasma reactor.Preferred Method: The first electrode also functions as a flow restrictor to assist in the generation of a reverse vortex flow. The reverse vortex flow is created by feeding a gas containing light hydrocarbons into the reaction chamber in a direction tangential to the wall of the reaction chamber; or by feeding an oxygen-rich gas into said reaction chamber in a direction tangential to the wall of said reaction chamber. The gas provided to the reaction chamber via the second inlet. The method further involves igniting an electrical arc with the movable second electrode in a first position, and moving the movable second electrode to a second position farther from the first electrode than the first position for operation of the reactor.