Retta, Negussie (PhD)Terfasa, Belina2018-06-142023-11-092018-06-142023-11-091995-06http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/12345678/1009The investigation of the catalytic nature of cation exchanged clays on some organic reactions was the core objective in this project. Important features of the three clays, local clay, drilling mud bentonite, and bentonite(BDH) with respect to free swelling, exchangeable bases, CEC, acidity measurement, IR spectra have been studied. The study of the catalytic activities of Fe3 + -exchanged clays(local clay, drilling mud bentonite and BDH-bentonite) was carried out on cyclohexanol and cyclohexene under reflux conditions. As shown by gas chromatographic analysis, the Fe3 +_ exchanged clays were able to convert the substrates into new products. By using retention time coincidence tests and co-injection peak enhancement technique, one of the products obtained from cyclohexanol with the three Fe3 + -cation exchanged clays was identified to be cyclohexene. The second product was not identified but suggested to be dicyclohexyl ether. In the case of refluxing cyclohexene, retention time coincidence test reveals that no cyclohexanol was formed as a product. But other unidentified products were formed as shown by the appearance of new peaks. The ferric cation exchanged clays have dehydrated cyclohexanol and could not hydrate cyclohexene. Therefore, the clays may be identified as dehydrating agents.enCatalytic Nature of Fe3+-ExchangedThesis