Disproportionate of elemental sulfur in tetrachloroethylene with aqueous hydroxide was found to be catalyzed by tetrabutylammonium hydroxide

and its reaction kinetics was investigated at a hydroxide concentration of 0.02-0.14 mol and within a temperature of 45-70℃. The linear dependence of the observed volumetric reaction rate Rsa on the rate of agitation within the range from 1.1.3 to 21.2 s-1 (680 to 1270 rpm)

indicates the typical characteristics of a interfacial reaction

and within the range studied

Rsa can be expressed as The apparent activation energy was derived from experimental data as 79 kJ/ mol. The results of this kinetic study can be explained satisfactorily by a mathematical model of mass transfer with fast chemical reaction in liquid-liquid system. It indicated that disproportionation of elemental sulfur was first order with respect to both the hydroxide ion in the aqueous phase and sulfur in the organic phase. The reaction was supposed to be initiated at the interface and completed within the diffusion film in the organic side. Evidence of PTC from the experimental results was given

and a reaction mechanism was proposed and discussed.