Kinetics of the Alkali-Catalyzed o-Cresol-Formaldehyde Reaction

Abstract
A kinetic study of the reaction of o-cresol with formaldehyde was carried out at temperatures of 65 ± 0.05, 70 ± 0.05, 75 ± 0.05, and 80 ± 0.05°C with NaOH as catalyst. The pH maintained was 7, 8, 9, 9.4, and 10. The reaction follows a second-order rate law. The rate is found to increase with increase of pH. The overall rate constant k was resolved into stepwise rate constants (k1 and k2) for the formation of mono-methylol-o-cresols and dimethylol-o-cresol, respectively. The values of Arrhenius parameters and the entropy of activation for the overall reaction were calculated. The experimental and calculated values of k at pH 10 and 65, 70, 75, and 80°C were found to agree well within experimental error.

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