The Effects of Substituents on the Hydrolysis of Substituted Cyanamides in Sulfuric acid Solution

The energies and the entropies of activation have been determined for the hydrolysis of mono- and di-substituted cyanamides in 20% sulfuric acid solution. The effect of substituents are distinctly shown in these kinetic data and the substituents are classified in three groups, (1) normal alkyl group substituted, (2) branched alkyl group substituted and (3) unsaturated group substituted cyanamides. The difference in energy of activation required for the hydrolysis of cyanamides may be explained by assuming the intermediate cyanamide-disulfate, the rate-determining step being the second protonation of cyanamide to give cyanamide-disulfate.