Chemistry and spectroscopy in strongly acidic solutions. Part XXIII: Reversible reaction between carbonium ions and hydrogen

Abstract

Abstract The reduction of aliphatic carbonium ions to alkanes with molecular hydrogen is reported. A kinetic study of this reaction has been made in the two‐phase solvent system HFFreon 113. The following parameters were investigated: temperature, hydrogen pressure, deuterium isotope effect and structure of the carbonium ion. The kinetics of the reverse reaction ‐ formation of carbonium ions from alkanes and protons in the system HF‐SbF 5 ‐ were studied for the case of trimethylcarbonium ion. From the equilibrium constant an upper limit for the basicity of isobutene has been calculated.