KINETICS OF ADDITION OF ACETIC-ACID TO EPICHLOROHYDRIN IN THE PRESENCE OF ALKALI-METAL ACETATES

The kinetics of the reaction between acetic acid and epichlorohydrin i n the presence of lithium, sodium and potassium acetates have been stu died. The composition of the reaction mixture was followed chromatogra phically. Beside the two isomeric products of addition of epichlorohyd rin to acetic acid, the presence was found of glycidyl acetate, glycer ine dichlorohydrin and other products of parallel and subsequent react ions between the substrates and chlorohydroxy-esters. A mechanism of t he reaction, which takes into account the formation of the identified compounds has been proposed and a set of appropriate differential and balance equations developed. The rate constants for individual reactio ns as well as the catalysts used have been determined.