KINETICS OF ISOMERIZATION OF DICHLOROBUTENES CATALYZED BY IRON(III) CHLORIDE

It has been established that the isomerization of 3,4-dichloro-1-butene and 1,4-dichloro-2-butene, catalyzed by iron(III) chloride in a medium of chlorinated organic solvents, exhibits unusual catalytic relationships, namely, a high and variable order with respect to the catalyst, and inhibition of the reaction by the dichlorobutene. A kinetic scheme is proposed, giving a good description of the experimental data. It is concluded tentatively that, along with the formation of a catalytically active dimer or oligomer of iron(III) chloride in solution, an inactive reactant-catalyst complex is formed.