EFFECT OF PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE ON THE RATE OF THE ACID-CATALYZED HYDRATION OF ETHYLENE

Abstract

The rate of hydration of ethylene in dilute aqueous perchloric acid has been measured in the range 170–190 °C at 100 bars and 100 to 3 000 bars at 180 °C. The energy, entropy, and volume of activation are 33.3 ± ~1 kcal mole⁻¹, −5.7 ± ~2.5 cal deg⁻¹ mole⁻¹, and − 15.5 ± ~1.5 cm³ mole⁻¹ respectively. The volume of activation shows that at least one molecule of water is strongly bound in the transition state.