Phase-transfer catalytic dichlorocyclopropanation of styrene under the influence of ultrasound conditions – A kinetic study

The kinetics for dichlorocyclopropanation of styrene with an excess of chloroform were studied under phase-transfer catalysis and ultrasound irradiation conditions using aqueous sodium hydroxide as the base and benzyltriethylammonium bromide as a catalyst. The reaction was carried out at 35 °C under pseudo-first order conditions by keeping aqueous sodium hydroxide and chloroform in excess and was monitored by gas chromatography (GC). The effects of agitation speed, quaternary ammonium salts, amount of catalyst, amount of sodium hydroxide and temperature on the kinetics of the conversion were investigated.