THE HYDROLYSIS OF ACETIC ANHYDRIDE IN WATER AND IN THE SYSTEM WATER: METHYL ETHYL KETONE

The rate of hydrolysis of acetic anhydride at 25 °C. in water (I), in solutions of methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) in water (II), and in solutions of water in MEK (III) have been studied. In I the observation of previous investigators that the velocity constant varies linearly with the initial concentration of acetic anhydride, but for any given initial concentration of acetic anhydride the reaction is pseudomonomolecular, was confirmed and extended. In II the velocity constant is lower than in I and decreases linearly with increasing concentration of MEK, but, again, the reaction is pseudomonomolecular for any given initial concentration of acetic anhydride. An equation and a nomogram that relate the velocity constant to the initial concentration of acetic anhydride, MEK, and water are presented. In III the second-order rate equation must be modified to compensate for the presumed catalytic effect of the hydrogen ion produced by hydrolysis.