Gas‐phase pyrolytic reaction of 3‐phenoxy and 3‐phenylsulfanyl‐1‐propanol derivatives: Kinetic and mechanistic study

3‐Phenoxy‐1‐propanols 1a–c and 3‐phenylsulfanyl‐1‐propanols 2a–c containing primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols were prepared and subjected to gas‐phase pyrolysis in a static reaction system. Pyrolysis of 4‐phenyl‐1‐butanol 3 , 2‐methyl‐3‐phenyl‐1‐propanol 4 , and 2‐methyl‐3‐phenylpropanoic acid 5 was also studied, and results were compared with those obtained for compounds 1–3 . The pyrolytic reactions were homogeneous and followed a first‐order rate equation. Analysis of the pyrolysate showed the products to be phenol (from 1a to 1c ), thiophenol (from 2a to 2c ), and toluene (from 3 to 5 ) and carbonyl compounds. The kinetic results and product analysis of each of the nine investigated compounds are rationalized in terms of a plausible transition state for the elimination pathway. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 40: 51–58, 2008