Catalysed gas phase decompositions. XXVIII. Cyclopropane and boron trichloride

Abstract

Boron trichloride catalyses the isomerization of cyclopropane into propene at 360-470°. The reaction is first order in the pressure of each reactant, and the variation of rate with temperature is given by the Arrhenius equation:              k₂ = 10^11.35±^0.2exp[(-106600 ± 3100)/8.314T] s^-1 ml mol^-1 The reaction is believed to be homogeneous and molecular. This is the first example of the series where the catalyst has been a Lewis acid.