Hydrogen Peroxide → Dicumyl peroxide

Participants

Reaction Steps

When the reaction was run using a 1:1 mole ratio of α-methylstyrene to hydrogen peroxide, the reaction was very exothermic during the addition of the cumyl chloride and about two thirds of the way through the addition an uncontrollable exotherm occurred and the reaction mixture spewed out of the reactor. The reaction was repeated using one half as much cumyl chloride and phenol. Under these conditions, the reaction was controllable but a low yield of dicumyl peroxide was obtained and a considerable amount of cumene hydroperoxide was generated. The results are summarized in Table I.

Provenance & Evidence