Alcohols and Olefins in Strong Bronsted Acids

Alcohols and Olefins in Strong Bronsted Acids A. Electronic Spectra in Sulphuric Acid 

Electronic absorption spectra of alcohols in strong proton acids (H2SO4) were obtained by Rosenbaum and Symons (1059, 1960). They observed for a number of simple aliphatic alcohols absorption maxima 

A survey of the literatiu-e of the chemistry of the carbonium ion precm ors in strong acids strongly suggests that the absorption at 292 rn.fl must come firom alkylation products. 

Saturated hydrocarbons are formed when olefins such as ethylene are 

More recently Miron and Lee (1962) analysed the hydrocarbons removed from strong acid catalysts in some detail, and suggested unsaturated cyclic structures. These structures contain from one to five five-membered rings with various methyl and alkenyl substituents and a minimum of two double bonds per molecule. However, during their drowning procedures, as the acid is diluted, considerable polymerization occurs. This conclusion is based on work by Hodge (1963), who showed that cyclopentenyl cations are rapidly destroyed by alkylation at 10 m concentrations in 35% H2SO4. 

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