A kinetic study of the decomposition of benzoyl peroxide assisted by Lewis acids

Abstract

The rates of decomposition of benzoyl peroxide have been studied in solvent alone and in presence of three Lewis acids, viz., boron trifluoride etherate, aluminum chloride and antimony pentachloride at the temperature range of 10–90°C. The rates have also been studied in presence of acetonitrile (to mimic the action of a complexing monomer) and an efficient radical trap such as m-dinitrobenzene. Benzoyl peroxide undergo rapid decompositions at room temperatures or below in presence of Lewis acids such as aluminum chloride and antimony pentachloride via a polar mechanism to yield >96% phenylbenzoate and one mole of carbon dioxide. Kinetics do not indicate the presence of trappable free radicals. The implication of these results to the initiation of alternating copolymerizations of donor with acceptor monomers is discussed.