STUDY ON THE OPTIMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF 2-FURYLOXIRANE USING EMPIRICAL AND MECHANISTIC MODELS

The operating conditions of the synthesis of 2-furyl oxirane by solid- liquid phase transfer in low hydrated organic medium in two different experimental domains (different particle size distributions of the bas e; different sulphonium salts) were optimized according to two differe nt optimization approaches. The first approach is based on the use of empirical models (response surface models) and the second on the use o f mechanistic models (''tendency modelling''). A comparison of the opt imization results allows an assessment of relative benefits and drawba cks of the two approaches. Optimum yields in the two different experim ental domains were 89 and 95.5%, respectively.