Phase-transfer catalyzed allylation of sodium phenoxide in a solid-liquid system

The kinetics for the O-allylation of sodium phenoxide with allyl bromide wa s investigated in the presence of phase-transfer catalyst in a solid-liquid system. The reaction was carried out in a stirred batch reactor under very mild operating conditions. The role of phase-transfer catalytic intermedia te in the solid-liquid system was explored. Effects of various operating va riables were performed. When the degree of agitation exceeded 200 rpm, the mass transfer resistance at the solid-liquid interface can be ignored. A ki netic model was proposed for the solid-liquid etherification and the experi mental data were well described by the pseudo-first-order equation. The app arent activation energy was also obtained as 60.92 kJ mol(-1) for tetra-n-b utylammonium bromide (TBAB) as the catalyst. Experimental results also show that C-alkylation of sodium phenoxide with allyl bromide would not occur u nder the appropriate phase-transfer conditions. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B .V. All rights reserved.