THERMOLYSIS OF -[2,2,2-TRIFLUORO-1-(TRITYLAZO)ETHYLIDENE]ANILINES ANDRELATED AZO-COMPOUNDS

-[2,2,2-Trifluoro-1-(tritylazo)ethylidene]anilines and the related 2,2 -difluoromethyl azo-,2,2,3,3,4,4,4-heptafluoropropyl azo-, and ,2,3,3, 4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8-pentadecafluoroheptyl azo-compounds (4) were syn thesized and subjected to thermolysis in toluene. The rate constants o f the thermolysis of 4 were in the order of 10(-4) s(-1) at 55 degrees C. The rates were correlated with Hammett's a constants of N-aryl sub stituents with rho value of -0.6. The difluoromethyl azo- (4g), heptaf luoropropyl azo-(4h) and pentadecafluoroheptyl azo-compounds (4i) deco mposed slightly faster than the trifluoromethyl azo-compound (4a).