Kinetic study on exchange reaction of alkyl halides under gas–liquid phase-transfer catalysis conditions

Abstract

Catalytic exchange of halogen in hydrocarbon halides can be performed continuously under gas–liquid phase-transfer catalysis conditions by feeding a solid bed, containing a ‘onium salt as phase-transfer catalyst, with the reagents. The solid support for the catalyst plays an important part in solvating the anions and so its nature affects the activity. The best support found consisted of glass spheres. The reaction does not depend on gaseous diffusion, but does require diffusion of the reagents into the catalyst liquid film. To obtain kinetic constants, experimental conversion curves were correlated with empirically calculated formulae.