Thursday, March 14, 2019

What is thermodynamically and kinetically controlled product ?


What is thermodynamically controlled product? 


 When a chemical reaction gives rise to alternative  products ,the nature of the products and their proportion in the products mixture depends on the energetic of the reaction, that is, on the kinetics and the thermodynamic of the reaction.

Now, if the reaction is reversible or if the products are readily inter convertible , then  the product percentage  depends on  their thermodynamic  stabilities  under the similar reaction  condition. 

Thus, if the amount of different products are determined by their relative thermodynamics  stabilities, it is said to be thermodynamically controlled product.

For example , sulphonation of naphthalene at 160áµ’C is  thermodynamically  controlled.




When naphthalene is treated with concentrated H2SO4 at 353K, the main product is 1-naphthalene sulphonic acid whereas at 433K, the main product is 2-naphthalene  sulphonic acid.

Further, when  heated  with concentrated  H2SO4 , the 1- acid is converted into the 2-acid. Thus , the former is the kinetically controlled and the latter is thermodynamically  controlled product

The possible explanation for their  relative stabilities is as follows , in 1-acid a steric repulsion between the hydrogen atom in 8-position and - SO3H group in 1-position makes the compound unstable at 353K temperature which is absent in 2-acid. 

Thus , the former is the kinetically controlled and the latter is thermodynamically  controlled product.  

Since 1-acid is the  kinetically controlled product, then K1 > K2 and therefore E2 >E1 . Also ,since 2-acid is the is thermodynamically  controlled product, ΔH2 > ΔH1 .

The energy profile diagram of the sulphonation of naphthalene  are as follows,




What is kinetically controlled product ?


When a chemical reaction gives rise to two or more products ,the nature of the products and their proportion in the products mixture depends on the energetic of the reaction, that is, on the kinetics and the thermodynamic of the reaction. 

Generally, it has been found that  the faster a product is formed , the larger is its proportion in the product mixture.

When the proportion of a particular product in the final products mixture are determined  from the rate of formation of that product, then the product is said to be a kinetically controlled product

For example, nitration of toluene is kinetically controlled. 




When toluene is treated with concentrated H2SO4 and HNO3 it gives a mixture of o-nitro toluene ( 70% ) and p-nitro toluene ( 30%) .

Consequently, o-nitro toluene  is the main product. Although it is less  stable than p-nitro  toluene. 

Since  the percentage of o-nitro toluene  in the  product  mixture depends on the rate of formation , so it is kinetically controlled product.The energy profile diagram of  nitration of toluene are as follows,







Practice problems


  • What is kinetically controlled product ?
  • What is thermodynamically and kineticallycontrolled product ?
  • Why sulphonation of naphthalene gives different products at different temperature?

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