Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Award Date

1965

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Chemistry

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to extend the work on the decomposition of ditriphenylmethyl Peroxide (I) in concentrated sulfuric acid. The first portion of the investigation involved the isolation and characterization of some of the minor products arising from the decomposition, as well as the amounts of the minor products formed in various concentrations of sulfuric acid. The second portion of the investigation involved the characterization of some of the oxidation products arising from the action of Caro’s acid on triphenylmethanol (II) in concentrated sulfuric acid, including the amounts of the oxidation products formed in various concentrations of sulfuric acid. Gomberg first investigated the decomposition ditriphenyl-methyl peroxide in concentrated sulfuric acid (1). Upon reinvestigation of Gomberg’s work, Tanaka obtained a 90 percent yield of triphenylmethanol from the decomposition of ditriphenylmethyl peroxide in concentrated sulfuric acid. Tanaka proposed a mechanism to explain the decomposition of ditriphenylmethyl peroxide in concentrated sulfuric acid. This mechanism was supported partially on the basis that a solution of ditriphenylmethyl peroxide in concentrated sulfuric acid was found to have the ultraviolet absorption spectra characteristic of the triphenyulmethyl carbonium ion. This hypothesis was supported by demonstrating that a concentrated sulfuric acid solution containing the triphenylmethyl carbonium ion was oxidized by Caro’s acid to give phenolic and acidic products similar to those produced from the decomposition of ditriphenylmethyl peroxide in concentrated sulfuric acid.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Sulphuric acid
Oxidation
Peroxides

Description

Includes bibliographical references

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

57

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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