Mirela Matić

Method for Estimating SN1 Rate Constants: Solvolytic Reactivity of Benzoates

Nucleofugalities of pentafluorobenzoate (PFB) and 2,4,6-trifluorobenzoate (TFB) leaving groups have been derived from the solvolysis rate constants of X,Y-substituted benzhydryl PFBs and TFBs measured in a series of aqueous solvents, by applying the LFER equation: log k = s(f)(E(f) + N(f)). The heterolysis rate constants of dianisylmethyl PFB and TFB, and those determined for 10 more dianisylmethyl benzoates in aqueous ethanol, constitute a set of reference benzoates whose experimental ΔG(‡) have been correlated with the ΔH(‡) (calculated by PCM quantum-chemical method) of the model epoxy ring formation. Because of the excellent correlation (r = 0.997), the method for calculating the nucleofugalities of substituted benzoate LGs have been established, ultimately providing a method for determination of the S(N)1 reactivity for any benzoate in a given solvent. Using the ΔG(‡) vs ΔH(‡) correlation, and taking s(f) based on similarity, the nucleofugality parameters for about 70 benzoates have been determined in 90%, 80%, and 70% aqueous ethanol. The calculated intrinsic barriers for substituted benzoate leaving groups show that substrates producing more stabilized LGs proceed over lower intrinsic barriers. Substituents on the phenyl ring affect the solvolysis rate of benzhydryl benzoates by both field and inductive effects.

Effect of the Leaving Group and Solvent Combination on the LFER Reaction Constants

Fine effects that influence the variations of the reaction constants sf in LFER log k = sf(Nf + Ef) have been summarized here. Increasing solvent polarity in the series of binary mixtures increases the solvolysis rates for the same factor for all benzhydryl derivatives in which the solvation of the leaving group moiety in the transition state is substantial, i.e., log k vs. Ef correlation lines are parallel (same sf). For the substrates in which the demand for solvation of the leaving groups moiety is reduced, (e.g., carbonates) sf parameters decrease as the fraction of the water in a given solvent/water mixture increases (log k vs. Ef plots converge), due to decreasing solvation of the electrofuge moiety toward bigger electrofugality. The abscissa of the intersection of the converging plots might indicate the critical electrofugality above which the solvolysis rates should not depend of the water fraction. Larger reaction constant sf indicate later transition state for structurally related substrates only, while sf parameters for structurally different substrates cannot be compared likely due to different intrinsic barriers. Inversion in relative abilities of leaving groups is possible if they have similar reactivities and are characterized with different reaction constants.

Solvolytic Behavior of Aryl and Alkyl Carbonates. Impact of the Intrinsic Barrier on Relative Reactivities of Leaving Groups

The effect of negative hyperconjugation on the solvolytic behavior of carbonate diesters has been investigated kinetically by applying the LFER equation log k = sf(Ef + Nf). The observation that carbonate diesters solvolyze faster than the corresponding carboxylates and that the enhancement of aromatic carbonates is more pronounced indicates that the negative hyperconjugation and π-resonance within the carboxylate moiety is operative in TS. The plots of ΔG‡ vs approximated ΔrG° for solvolysis of benzhydryl aryl/alkyl carbonates and benzhydryl carboxylates reveal that a given carbonate solvolyzes over the higher Marcus intrinsic barrier and over the earlier transition state than carboxylate that produces an anion of similar stability. Due to the lag in development of the electronic effects along the reaction coordinate, the impact of the intrinsic barrier on solvolytic behavior of carbonates is more important than in the case of carboxylates and phenolates. Consequently, the solvolytic reaction constants (sf) are generally lower for carbonates than for carboxylates. Because of considerable lower reaction constants of carbonates, an inversion of relative reactivities between aryl/alkyl carbonate and another leaving group of similar nucleofugality (Nf) may occur if the electrofuge moiety of a substrate is switched.