A kinetic study of the chlorination of ketones by chloramine-T: Novel concentration dependences on the chlorinating agent and the ketones

Abstract

The chlorination of acetone in aqueous acidic medium in the presence of acetic acid and dimethylformamide was subjected to kinetic study. Although the kinetics follows the traditional mechanism at high concentrations of chloramine-T (cat) and in aqueous acetic acid in the presence of sodium acetate, a term in the rate law independent of ketone concentration is reported for the first time in strongly acidic medium at low concentrations of chloramine-T. Generation of the chlorinating species is considered as the rate-determining step (Scheme 1). The mechanistic changes which occur on addition of chloride and on changing the structure of the ketone are reported. The effect of acetate on the rate in aqueous acetic acid medium is rationalized by invoking a prior equilibrium formation of enolate followed by a rate-controlling chlorination by chlorinium acetate. The retardation in rate and the consequent changes in mechanism in the case of p-bromo- and p-nitroacetophenone are accounted for by invoking a complex between the enol and the positive chlorine species similar to that in the mechanism for the chlorination of phenols.