SUPERACID SYSTEMS AND SATURATED-HYDROCARB ONS ISOMERIZATION

This paper points out the contribution of Prof.C.D.Nenitescu to the di scovery and investigation of alkane isomerization, which proceeds by a cationic chain mechanism in three steps : a) the carbenium ion genera tion mediated by nonclassical carbocations; b) the carbocation isomeri zation by hydride and alkyde shifts with protonated cyclopropane and c ) the hydride transfer from the alkane to the incipient carbenium ion. The isomerization is accompanied by protolysis of C - C and C - H bon ds and by alkylation mediated superacid system with strength estimated by Hammett acidity function H-0. The actual stage of knowledge on sup eracid catalyzed reactions and on experimental work which supports the conversion of saturated hydrocarbons in these system is presented.