KINETIC-STUDY OF NAPHTHALENE SULFONATION REACTION

study represents a mathematical procedure for the kinetic analysis of naphthalene sulfonation using sulfuric acid at molar ratios ranging fr om 0.7 to 1.5 and reaction temperatures from 115 to 180-degrees-C. The overall sulfonation comprises many consecutive, parallel, and reversi ble reactions. Representative samples of the reaction mixture are anal yzed by high-performance liquid chromatography for quantitative evalua tion of the sulfonic acid isomers produced and by alkalimetric determi nation of acidity. The model suggested includes the concentration of t he five components in the reaction mixture, considering five reactions . The kinetic parameters for these reactions are estimated for ''best fit'' of the experimental data by the weighted least squares method ba sed on minimizing the deviation between measured data and those calcul ated according to the model. This model describes fairly well the proc ess kinetic through the evaluated parameters. It is observed from the results that, with respect to the yield of the target (beta-sulfonic a cid), the optimum reaction temperature is 170-degrees-C for equimolar acid to naphthalene ratio.