The kinetics of halogen addition to α,β unsaturated ketones

Abstract

It has long been known that organic compounds can react with the halogens. As soon as the theory of structure was developed, the difference between addition and substitution was realized. Perhaps the first such reaction studied was by Faraday (1) who examined the action of chlorine on ethylene in the gas phase. He found rapid addition if ethylene was in excess, and rapid addition followed by slower substitution if chlorine was in excess. He also remarked that bright sunlight enourmously accelerated the reaction.