Technical Session - 1

Title:            Studying etherification mechanism of primary alcohols in acidic condition with AB initio quantum chemistry methods
Authors:       Nguyen Thuong Dang, Pham Thanh Quan, Pham Hong Phuoc Sang
Abstract:     This paper establishes the etherification mechanism of primary alcohols R-CH2OH in acidic condition using ab initio quantum chemistry methods, through surveying the effect of the substituent –R (-R = - H, -CH3, -CH2CH3, -Vinyl, -Phenyl, -CH2NHCH3, -CH2OCH3, -CH2F) and water solvent on the mechanism, at the same time assessing the effect of basis set (6-31g(d,p), 6-311g(d,p), 6-311++g(d,p)) on computational results. The results indicate that the etherification reaction follows dual-molecule nucleophilic substitution (SN2) mechanism. Reactants and products form reactive intermediates with H+ and water, in this state H+ is occupied by both alcohol and water or ether and water. This state has lower energy level compared to both of the following cases: H+ is fully occupied by water, and H+ is fully occupied by the product/reactant. The substituent –R has a significant impact on activation energy and the amount of energy needed to convert the reactive intermediate into ether, while the effects of water solvent and basis set are negligible.

Keywords:  Etherification Reaction Mechanism, Primary Alcohol, Effect of H+
Pages:        070-073

Download Full Paper