DEHYDRATION OF ALCOHOLS ON ALUMINA-12

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0021-9517(70)90098-9

Primary kinetic isotope effects of the dehydration from the gas phase of tertiary, secondary and iso-butanol on alumina have been easured between 120 and 230 C. The deuteration on the hydroxyl group does not give rise to an isotope effect, whereas substitution of the !-proton by deuterium produces an appreciable effect. Below 200 C primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols are dehydrated via reaction intermediates over alumina which presumably contain a certain degree of ionic contributions. With increasing temperature these ionic contributions are favored.