Self-oscillating reaction In the Furan series

Abstract

It was found for the first time that the acid hydrolysis of 2,5-dimethylfuran in water-ethanol solutions has self-oscillating character. Oscillations in the concentrations of the two products 2,5-hexanedione and an unidentified compound X were detected by GLC. The ranges of hydrochloric acid and ethanol concentrations in which these oscillations appear were determined. It is suggested that the formation of compound X results from tautomeric transformations of 2,5-hexanedione under the reaction conditions. Quantum-chemical calculations showed that the possible tautomers are formed with equal probability.