title: Noncatalytic kinetic study on site-selective H/D exchange reaction of phenol in sub- and supercritical water.
abstract: The site-selective H/D exchange reaction of phenol in sub- and supercritical water is studied without added catalysts. In subcritical water in equilibrium with steam at 210-240 degrees C, the H/D exchange proceeds both at the ortho and para sites in the phenyl ring, with no exchange observed at the meta site. The pseudo-first-order rate constants are of the order of 10(-4) s(-1); 50% larger for the ortho than for the para site. In supercritical water, the exchange is observed also at the meta site with the rate constant in the range of 10(-6)-10(-4) s(-1). As the bulk density decreases, the exchange slows down and the site selectivity toward the ortho is enhanced. The enhancement is due to the phenol-water interaction preference at the atomic resolution. The site selectivity toward the ortho is further enhanced when the reaction is carried out in benzene/water solution. Using such selectivity control and the reversible nature of the hydrothermal deuteration/protonation process, it is feasible to synthesize phenyl compounds that are deuterated at any topological combination of ortho, meta, and para sites.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan.
authors.forename: Masahito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.forename: Takeyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takizawa
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wakai
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Matubayasi
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakahara