"PTC Tip of the Month" Reader Comments

May 2003  Catalyst Separation; Dehydrofluorination

Comment from Anonymous reader related to the May 2003 PTC Tip of the Month:

I just wanted to comment briefly on the latest "Tip of the month". Note that 50% KOH, unlike 50%NaOH, is far from saturation. As such, KOH is dissociated to a lesser extent than NaOH and presents less "danger" for TEBA. That's why, I think, the authors of the patent prefer TEBA. Decomposition of quats under basic conditions of course takes place, but it should be assessed on case to case basis. Firstly, the rate of this decomposition is often slower than that of the reaction. Secondly, this decomposition is not necessarily irreversible (especially in alkylations when an alkylating agent is typically available in a huge excess with respect to a catalyst).

Thank you for the regular mail, I enjoy it.

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