Kinetics of the chlorination of chloropropane

Calculated and experimental values, kc and ke, of the apparent rate constant of chloropropane chlorination have been compared. Values of kc were determined from the known rate constants of the fundamental reaction Cl + C3H7Cl and from the condition that Cl2 dissociation is at equilibrium; the latter is approximately fulfilled by an unbranched-chain chlorination mechanism. Values of ke were determined from the observed overall reaction rates. It was established that kc and ke differ by a factor of 3-6. From such agreement it was concluded that during chlorination chlorine dissociation is approximately at equilibrium, and that chlorination rate can be estimated a priority from the kinetics of an elementary chain unit.