The brønsted acid-catalysed hydrolysis of benzoic anhydride in aqueous solutions. Evidence for two mechanisms and the effect of dioxane on their detectability
Abstract
The hydrolysis of benzoic anhydride enjoys two mechanisms of acid catalysis in 60%(v/v) dioxane–water as solvent, one at low and another at high values of [H3O+]; the former becomes effectively undetectable in a purely aqueous solvent. Implications are discussed.