Catalytic hydrolysis of diclofop‐methyl on Ca‐, Na‐ and K‐montmorillonites

摘要

AbstractThe decomposition of the herbicide diclofop‐methyl (methyl (RS)‐2‐(4‐(2,4‐dichlorophenoxy)phenoxy)propionate), on homoionic Ca‐, Na‐ and K‐montmorillonite in hydroalcoholic suspension was investigated. The results show that the solvolysis of the pesticide affords two products: diclofop (RS)‐2‐(4‐(2,4‐dichlorophenoxy)phenoxy)propionic acid) and diclofop‐ethyl (ethyl (RS)‐2‐(4‐(22,4‐dichlorophenoxy)phenoxy)propionate). The former is always the main product of hydrolysis on the Ca‐, Na‐ and K‐clays, whereas the latter, arising from a transesterification reaction, is favoured only by the presence of Ca‐and Na‐clays. The solvolysis reaction follows the adsorption of the herbicide on the clay, as evidenced by the shift of the IR stretching value of the ester group of the molecule, depending on