Aromatic sulfonation XII: Kinetics of the sulfonation of p‐ and o‐toluenesulfonic acid in aqueous and fuming sulfuric acid

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Abstract
The kinetics of the sulfonation of p‐ and o‐toluenesulfonic acid have been measured at 25.0° in aqueous and fuming sulfuric acid, the concentrations varying from 93.3‐103.3 wt‐% H2SO4. The reaction is first order with respect to the sulfonic acid.The observed variation in the apparent first order rate constants is of the order of 106. The sulfonation kinetics are shown to be consistent with the sulfonation mechanisms previously proposed for aqueous1 and fuming2 sulfuric acid. In aqueous sulfuric acid varying in composition from 93.3‐98.8 wt‐% H2SO4 isomerization was shown to be a reaction of minor importance.