Issue 1, 2017

Aromatic sulfonation with sulfur trioxide: mechanism and kinetic model

Abstract

Electrophilic aromatic sulfonation of benzene with sulfur trioxide is studied with ab initio molecular dynamics simulations in gas phase, and in explicit noncomplexing (CCl3F) and complexing (CH3NO2) solvent models. We investigate different possible reaction pathways, the number of SO3 molecules participating in the reaction, and the influence of the solvent. Our simulations confirm the existence of a low-energy concerted pathway with formation of a cyclic transition state with two SO3 molecules. Based on the simulation results, we propose a sequence of elementary reaction steps and a kinetic model compatible with experimental data. Furthermore, a new alternative reaction pathway is proposed in complexing solvent, involving two SO3 and one CH3NO2.

Graphical abstract: Aromatic sulfonation with sulfur trioxide: mechanism and kinetic model

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
05 Aug 2016
Accepted
10 Sep 2016
First published
12 Sep 2016
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2017,8, 680-688

Aromatic sulfonation with sulfur trioxide: mechanism and kinetic model

S. L. C. Moors, X. Deraet, G. Van Assche, P. Geerlings and F. De Proft, Chem. Sci., 2017, 8, 680 DOI: 10.1039/C6SC03500K

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