Acid catalytic effects in the chlorination of propanoic acid

Selective alpha-chlorination of propanoic acid to form 2-monochloropropanoi c (MCA) and 2,2-dichloropropanoic acid (DCA) was investigated in a laborato ry-scale, semibatch reactor at 90-130 degrees C at atmospheric total pressu re and in the presence of chlorosulfonic acid (ClSO3H) and 2,2-dichloroetha noic acid (DCA') as catalytic agents and oxygen as a radical scavenger. The decomposition of the catalyst was investigated with sulfur analysis and UV -spectrometry, The studies revealed that the majority of sulfur remains in the reaction mixture, but is converted to an inactive form during the chlor ination. The reasons may be the decomposition of ClSO3H and its reaction wi th propanoic acid. The kinetic experiments revealed autocatalytic and paral lel formation of MCA and DCA, the selectivity being independent of Cl-2 con centration in the liquid phase. The experiments with DCA' also demonstrated that DCA' has a catalytic effect on the chlorination The experiments confi rmed the validity of a previously proposed reaction scheme for alpha-chlori nation, which comprises the formation of the reaction intermediate (propano yl chloride) from propanoic acid and ClSO3H, the acid-catalyzed enolization of the acid and a hydroxyl-chlorine exchange reaction. The acid-catalyzed enolization is the rate determining step in the reaction sequence, The kine tic data were fitted to rate equations based on the reaction scheme. (C) 20 00 Society of Chemical Industry.