THERMAL-ISOMERIZATION OF T-BUTYLPHENYL ETHER

Thermal isomerization of t-butylphenyl ether alone and in the presence of phenol was studied between 180 and 340 degrees C at reaction times from 0.5 to 0.7 s. The experiments proved far the first time that the isomerization occurs through a homolytic process in the first step wi th the appearance of phenol and isobutene. The activation energy for t he uncatalyzed process (8 kcal/mol) decreases considerably (to 2 kcal/ mol) for thermal isomerization of butylphenyl ether in the presence of 10% phenol proving the catalytic activity of the latter.