The Role of Some Solvent Binaries in the Alkaline Decomposition of Tetraphenylphosphonium Bromide

Comparative study of the role of solvent effects of aqueous methyl cellosolve and tetrahydrofuran solvent systems on the alkaline decomposition of tetraphenylphosphonium bromide was carried out. The reaction rate increases remarkably as the medium changes from purely aqueous to a water-organic cosolvent reaction mixture. The relative changes in the solvation states of both reactants and transition state as the structural properties of the two solvent binaries change were shown to be the direct reasons for the difference in the effects on rate and activation energies.