Effect of formaldehyde on the rate constants and composition of the reaction products of dimethylvinylcarbinol and dimethylallyl alcohol in aqueous sulfuric acid solutions

1. The kinetic principles of the reactions of an equilibrium mixture of dimethylvinylcarbinol and dimethyallyl alcohol in aqueous H2SO4 solutions using various CH2O concentrations were studied by the gas-chromatographic analysis of the reaction mixture. 2. The rate constants of the conversion of the mixture of starting unsaturated alcohols to the intermediate (T) and to 3-methyl-1,3-butanediol (MBD) and of the conversion of T to a mixture of 5-(2-hydroxy-2-propyl)- and 4,4-dimethyl-5-hydroxymethyl-1,3-dioxanes were determined separately. 3. The additions of CH2O increase the rate constant of the formation of MBD. The rate constant of the formation of T is proportional to the CH2O concentration and acidity of the medium.