Effect of normal and functional micelles in elimination reactions of polyhalogenated pesticides

Abstract

The dehydrochlorination of pesticides of the DDT family in the presence of functional and cationic micelles has been studied. Catalytic factors of (2 620 ± 504), (2 190 ± 404), and (1 470 ± 215)-fold were observed for 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis-(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT), 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis-(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDD), and 1-chloro-2,2-bis-(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDM) respectively, when hexadecyldimethyl-(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium bromide (CHEDAB) was used as catalyst. Hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) also showed catalytic effects (417 ± 77), (208 ± 40), and (70 ± 14)-fold increases for DDT, DDD, and DDM, respectively, though smaller than those observed with CHEDAB. The higher catalytic activities of CHEDAB are explained in terms of the participation of the alkoxide moiety.