Kinetics of the catalyzed hydration of symm. -dichloroacetone

The kinetics of the hydration of s-dichloroacetone have been studied spectrophotometrically in a 5% (v/v) water + dioxanmixture. Catalysis by 24 acids and 20 bases has been studied. There is a general relation between acid catalytic constant and acid base strength, with a few individual deviations which can be partly accounted for. In basic catalysisanion bases are about 1000 times as effective as uncharged bases of the same strength: with in each class the catalytic constant is related to the basic strength , with a few exceptions attributable to steric hindrance.