Chemical reactions in microemulsions: kinetics of the alkylation of 2-alkylindan-1,3-diones in microemulsions and polar organic solvents

Abstract

The kinetics of the alkylation of 2-alkylindan-1,3-diones by benzyl bromide has been studied in microemulsions and polar organic solvents. In microemulsions the reaction proceeds at the microscopic water/oil interface. The solvent properties of this interfacial environment are assumed to be similar to those of methanol. In order to describe the kinetics of reactions occurring in microemulsions stabilized by non-ionic amphiphiles, the volume of the microemulsion is divided into three regions: water-rich, oil-rich and interfacial regions. The interfacial region is treated as a two-dimensional interface or as an interfacial volume.