The kinetics of chloromethyloxirane reaction with alcohols and their adducts in the presence of stannic chloride

Rate constants of the reaction of chloromethyloxirane (epichlorohydrin) wit h methyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-, sec-, tert-butyl, n-hexyl, n-octyl, and n-decyl alcohols in the presence of stannic chloride were studied at 30, 40 , and 50 degrees C. Reaction is not first order in respect to epichlorohydr ine and is particularly fast at the beginning and its rate constants are pr oportional to the concentration of the catalyst. The rate constants increas e in the homologous series of CI-Clo alcohols. The reaction rates of 2-chlo romethyloxirane with 1-chloromethyl-2-alkoxyethanols are ca. 2.5-times larg er than that with corresponding alcohols.