ELECTROCHEMICAL STUDY OF PHASE-TRANSFER CATALYSIS REACTIONS - THE WILLIAMSON ETHER SYNTHESIS

The transfer properties of the ionic species involved in the Williamson ether synthesis by phase-transfer catalysis were investigated using electrochemical techniques developed for the study of polarised liquid/liquid interfaces. This approach allows the measurement of the apparent partition coefficients of the transferring species. From these data, it is proposed that the role of the phase-transfer catalyst salt in the reaction mechanism is to establish a Galvani distribution potential difference between the two phases which in turn acts as the driving force for transferring the reactive aqueous ions to the organic phase.