Jaromír Mindl

Kinetics and mechanism of base-catalysed degradations of substituted aryl-N-hydroxycarbamates, their N-methyl and N-phenyl analogues.

The kinetics and mechanism of the degradation reactions of substituted phenyl N-hydroxycarbamates and their N-methyl and N-phenyl analogues have been studied at pseudo-first-order reaction conditions in aqueous buffers and sodium hydroxide solutions at 20 [degree]C and 60 [degree]C and at I= 1 mol[middle dot]l(-1). The dependence of log k(obs) on pH for phenyl N-hydroxycarbamates at pH < 9 and pH > 13 is linear with the unit slope; at pH 10-12 log k(obs) is pH independent. The Bronsted coefficient [small beta](lg) is about -1 (pH 7-13) and -1.53 (pH > 13) indicating that the degradation reaction of phenyl N-hydroxycarbamates follows an E1cB mechanism giving the corresponding phenol/phenolate and HO-N[double bond, length as m-dash]C[double bond, length as m-dash]O. The latter species undergoes further decomposition to give carbonate, nitrogen and ammonia as final products. In contrast to the phenyl N-hydroxycarbamates the N-methyl derivatives at pH 7-9 undergo degradation to the corresponding phenol/phenolate, carbonate and methylamine via a concerted mechanism ([small beta](lg) is about -0.75). The only exception is 4-nitrophenyl N-hydroxy-N-methylcarbamate in which the predominant break down pathway proceeds via the Smiles rearrangement to give sodium N-methyl-(4-nitrophenoxy)carbamate. At pH > 9 the reaction of N-hydroxy-N-methylcarbamates is kinetically complex: the dependence of absorbance on time is not exponential and it proceeds as a consecutive two-step reaction. N-Hydroxy-N-phenylcarbamate under the same conditions undergoes degradation to phenol, carbonate, aniline and azoxybenzene.

The base-catalysed cyclisation of phenyl N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-N-methylcarbamates is concerted

The kinetics of the cyclisation in aqueous solution of phenyl-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-N-methylcarbamates to 3-methyl- 3,4-dihydrobenzo[e][1,3]oxazin-2-ones and phenolate ions fit the rate law: kobs = kc/(1 + [H3O+]/Ka) The values of kc and pKa fit Brønsted equations against the pKas of the corresponding free phenols but the system does not conform to the reactivity-selectivity hypothesis. The values of the Brønsted parameters beta Y and beta X vary as a function of Y and X according to the equations: beta X = -0.179pKaHY + 0.87 beta Y = -0.179pKaHX + 2.30 The magnitude and sign of the Cordes-Thornton cross-interaction coefficient pXY (-0.179) rule out a stepwise mechanism involving a tetrahedral intermediate and is consistent with a concerted displacement mechanism. A similar concerted mechanism is proposed for the base-catalysed cyclisation of phenyl-N-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-N-methylcarbamate esters to benzoxazol-2-ones.

Kinetics and mechanism of alkaline hydrolysis of aryl carbazates

Hydrolysis of aryl carbazates (H2NNHCO2Ar with Ar = phenyl, 3- or 4-chlorophenyl, 3- or 4-nitrophenyl, 4-methylphenyl and 4-methoxyphenyl) and/or their 2- or 3-methyl derivatives in aqueous buffers or sodium hydroxide solutions gives phenolate and sodium carbazate. The kinetics and acidity constants and thermodynamic parameters are given. By analysing the pH profiles, the activation entropy, and effects of the substituent on the aromatic ring it was found that aryl carbazates containing a methyl group in the 2 position are hydrolysed by a BAc2 mechanism and the others by an E1cB mechanism. The pH profiles of nitrophenyl carbazates show a maximum. The rate of decarboxylation of carbazic acid decreases with increasing pH value.

Synthesis of Substituted Phenyl N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-N-Methylcarbamates

Thirteen previously unreported substituted phenyl N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-N-methylcarbamates were prepared by the reaction of substituted 2-hydroxybenzyl-N-methylamines with phenyl chlorocarbonates. They were identified by their 1H- and 13C-NMR spectra.