The unsaturated hydrocarbon butadiene (C4H6) dimerizes to 4-vinylcyclohexene (C8H12). When data collected in studies of the kinetics of this reaction were plotted against reaction time, plots of [C4H6] or ln[C4H6] produced curved lines, but the plot of 1/[C4H6] was linear.
a) What is the rate law for the reaction?

The dimerization of butadiene to 4-vinylcyclohexene folows second order kinetics and its rate law will be given by :

Explanation:

The rate of the reaction ;

As given in the question , that graph of time verses was linear but plots of or  was curved.

Generally:

Graph of time verses for zero order reaction is linear with negative slope.

Graph of time verses for secon order reaction is linear with negative slope.

Graph of time verses for secon order reaction is linear with positive slope.

So, the dimerization of butadiene to 4-vinylcyclohexene folows second order kinetics and its rate law will be given by :

answerlinnaeus;