ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Reactions of acetaldehyde in the preparation of pentaerythritol

L. Koudelka

Research Institute of Petrochemistry, CS-972 71 Nováky

Abstract: On the basis of experimental material and theoretical mechanism of aldol condensation two systems of rate equations describing the first step of the reaction of formaldehyde with acetaldehyde giving rise to pentaerythritol have been made up. The first model is based on the "classical" assumption of constant concentration of carbanion while the second one is based on the assumption that the carbanion behaves as a nonanalyzed intermediate. Both procedures are almost equally precise for expressing the experimental material, but the second one immediately supplies the values of rate constants and, for this reason, it is more convenient for the study of mechanism. The relative values of pseudoconstants and constants obtained by either procedure are in good agreement with theoretical ideas concerning the relative rates of elementary steps in aldol condensation. Experimental data, rate relations, and the values of rate constants of the reaction of acetaldehyde yielding acetaldol have been also obtained in the scope of this work.

Full paper in Portable Document Format: 373a369.pdf

Chemical Papers 37 (3) 369–383 (1983)