Abstract
Kinetics of chlorination of substituted phenols with a particular emphasis on p‐nitrophenol (PNP) have been extensively studied using chloramine T (CAT). The effect of added mineral acids, neutral salts, and chloride have been investigated in detail. In aqueous acetic acid at high acidities the reactive phenols follow a zero‐order process, while PNP or the disubstituted derivatives give a fractional‐order dependence on substrate concentration. The concentration dependence of rate with respect to PNP, the chlorinating agent, and acid reveals the rate law
1/k~obs~ versus 1/[PNP] gave a straight line with a finite intercept. In aqueous dimethylformamide (DMF) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) the reaction shows a second‐order dependence on CAT and a first‐order dependence on PNP in the case of DMF and a slight increment in order in DMSO. Addition of water increases the rate both in aqueous acetic acid and in dipolar aprotic solvents such as DMF and DMSO. The order of the reaction with respect to CAT is found to be dependent on pH as well as the reactivity of the phenols. In buffered acetic acid medium a second‐order dependence on CAT was followed up to pH 7. The rate variations with temperature in the range of 30°¨Dot;50°C have been studied for all the substituted phenols, and the respective activation parameters have been calculated. The empirical rate law is accounted for by a mechanism involving species generated from CAT complexing PNP. Protonated CAT, \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ {\rm H}_{\rm 2} \mathop {\rm O}\limits^{\rm + } {\rm Cl} $\end{document}, \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ {\rm Cl}\mathop {\rm O}\limits^{\rm + } {\rm AcH} $\end{document}, and dichloramine T (DCT) are considered important depending on reaction media. The effect of salts, pH, structural variations, and solvent dependence have been accounted for by the proposed mechanism. An attack by positive chlorine on oxygen of the phenol is the preferred mode of attack.