Kinetics and mechanism of N-chloromethylamine decomposition in solutions

Abstract

Kinetics of N-chloromethylamine decomposition in an aqueous base medium and chloroform at different temperatures is studied. The decomposition of N-chloromethylamine is found to obey a second order equation in an aqueous base medium at an equimolar ratio of the reagents and a first order equation in chloroform with excess base. The activation energy of N-chloromethylamine decomposition in the both solvents is determined. A mechanism for the reaction is proposed. N-Chloromethylamine is shown to have approximately equal stability in these solvents within the studied temperature range.