Dual super-electrophilic and Diels–Alder reactivity of neutral 10π heteroaromatic substrates

Kinetic Study on Pyridinolysis of Aryl Benzenesulfonates: Factors Governing Regioselectivity and Reaction Mechanism

A kinetic study is reported for reactions of 2,4-dinitrophenyl X-substituted-benzenesulfonates (1a-1f) and Y-substituted-phenyl benzenesulfonates (2a-2f) with Z-substituted-pyridines. The reactions proceed through S‒O and C‒O bond scissions competitively. The Yukawa-Tsuno plot for the reactions of 1a-1f with 4-oxypyridine (S‒O bond fission) exhibits an excellent linearity. The Brønsted-type plot for the reactions of 2,4-dinitrophenyl benzenesulfonate (1d) with pyridines (S‒O bond fission) is also linear with βnuc = 0.62. The Brønsted-type plot for the reactions of 2a-2f with 4-oxypyridines (S‒O bond fission) is linear with βlg= ‒1.17. Thus, the reactions have been concluded to proceed through a concerted mechanism, in which leaving-group expulsion is significantly more advanced than bond formation between the electrophilic center and nucleophile at the transition state. The Hammett plot for the reactions of 1a-1f with 4-oxypyridine (C‒O bond fission) exhibits scattered points with ρX= 0.98. The Brønsted-type plot for the reactions of 1d with Z-substituted-pyridines (C‒O bond fission) results in an excellent linear correlation with βnuc = 0.38. Thus, the reactions (C‒O bond fission) have been concluded to proceed through a stepwise mechanism with a Meisenheimer complex, in which expulsion of the leaving group occurs after the rate-determining step. Factors governing regioselectivity and reaction mechanism are discussed.

Medium effect (water versus MeCN) on reactivity and reaction pathways for the SNAr reaction of 1-aryloxy-2,4-dinitrobenzenes with cyclic secondary amines

A kinetic study on SNAr reactions of 1-aryloxy-2,4-dinitrobenzenes (1a–1h) with a series of cyclic secondary amines in 80 mol% water – 20 mol% DMSO at 25.0 ± 0.1 °C is reported. The plots of kobsd versus amine concentration curve upward except for the reactions of substrates possessing a strong electron-withdrawing group in the leaving aryloxide with strongly basic piperidine. The curved plots indicate that the reactions proceed through both uncatalytic and catalytic routes. Linear Brønsted-type plots have been obtained for the uncatalyzed and catalyzed reactions of 1-(4-nitrophenoxy)-2,4-dinitrobenzene (1a) with βnuc = 0.84 and 0.78, respectively. The Yukawa–Tsuno plot for the uncatalyzed reactions of 1a–1h with piperidine results in an excellent linear correlation with ρ = 1.66 and r = 0.31. In contrast, rate constants for catalyzed reactions are independent of the electronic nature of the substituent in the leaving group. The current SNAr reactions have been proposed to proceed via a zwitterionic intermediate (MC±) that partitions to products through uncatalytic and catalytic routes. The catalyzed reaction from MC± has been concluded to proceed through a concerted mechanism with a six-membered cyclic transition state (TScycl) rather than via a stepwise pathway with a discrete anionic intermediate (MC−), the traditionally accepted mechanism. Medium effects on the reactivity and reaction mechanism are discussed. Particularly, hydrogen bonding of the amines to water precludes formation of kinetically significant dimers found in some aprotic solvents; no explicit role for water in the catalytic transition state is required or proposed. The specific stabilization of the leaving aryloxides substituted with strong electron-withdrawing groups accounts for the lack of the catalytic pathway in these systems (1a–1c) with piperidine nucleophile.

The α-effect in the SNAr reaction of 1-(4-nitrophenoxy)-2,4-dinitrobenzene with anionic nucleophiles: effects of solvation and polarizability on the α-effect

A kinetic study on SNAr reactions of 1-(4-nitrophenoxy)-2,4-dinitrobenzene (1a) with various anionic nucleophiles in 80 mol% water – 20 mol% DMSO at 25.0 °C is reported. The Brønsted-type plot for the reaction of 1a with a series of substituted phenoxides and HOO− results in an excellent linear correlation with βnuc = 1.17. However, OH− exhibits dramatic negative deviation from the Brønsted-type plot, while N3−, C6H5S−, and butane-2,3-dione monoximate (Ox−) deviate positively from linearity. HOO− is 680-fold more reactive than OH− but does not exhibit the α-effect. In contrast, Ox− is 166-fold more reactive than isobasic 4-Cl−C6H4O− and exhibits the α-effect. Differential solvation effects have been suggested to be responsible for the α-effect in this study, i.e., Ox− exhibits the α-effect, since it is 5.7 kcal/mol less strongly solvated than 4-Cl−C6H4O− in the reaction medium, while HOO− does not show the α-effect due to a strong requirement for partial desolvation before nucleophilic attack. The highly enhanced reactivity of polarizable N3− and C6H5S− and extremely decreased reactivity of nonpolarizable OH− are in accord with the hard–soft acid and base principle.