The kinetics of acid-catalysed equilibrations of endo- and exo-cyclic olefins

Abstract

The equilibrium constants for the acid-catalysed isomerisation of isopropylidenecycloalkanes to isopropylcycloalkenes have been measured as a function of temperature for the five- to eight-membered rings. The rates of equilibration have been measured, starting from each pure isomer. Together these data permit the construction of approximate energy diagrams for the processes. The results are compared and contrasted with those from earlier work on similar systems.