Unusual Solvent Effect on a SN2 Reaction. A Quantum-Mechanical and Kinetic Study of the Menshutkin Reaction between 2-Amino-1-methylbenzimidazole and Iodomethane in the Gas Phase and in Acetonitrile

An experimental, computational, and uncertainty analysis study of the rates of iodoalkane trapping by DABCO in solution phase organic media

NMR spectroscopy was used to measure the rates of the first and second substitution reactions between iodoalkane (R = Me, 1-butyl) and DABCO in methanol, acetonitrile and DMSO. Most of the reactions were recorded at three different temperatures, which permitted calculation of the activation parameters from Eyring and Arrhenius plots. Additionally, the reaction rate and heat of reaction for 1-iodobutane + DABCO in acetonitrile and DMSO were also measured using calorimetry. To help interpret experimental results, ab initio calculations were performed on the reactant, product, and transition state entities to understand structures, reaction enthalpies and activation parameters. Markov chain Monte Carlo statistical sampling was used to determine a distribution of kinetic rates with respect to the uncertainties in measured concentrations and correlations between parameters imposed by a kinetics model. The reactions with 1-iodobutane are found to be slower in all cases compared to reactions under similar conditions for iodomethane. This is due to steric crowding around the reaction centre for the larger butyl group compared to methyl which results in a larger activation energy for the reaction.

Quantum Dynamics of a Photochemical Bond Cleavage Influenced by the Solvent Environment: A Dynamic Continuum Approach

In every day chemistry, solvents are used to influence the outcome of chemical synthesis. Electrostatic effects stabilize polar configurations during the reaction and in addition dynamic solvent effects can emerge. How the dynamic effects intervene on the ultrafast time scale is in the focus of this theoretical study. We selected the photoinduced bond cleavage of Ph2CH-PPh3(+) for which the electrostatic interactions are negligible. Elaborate ultrafast pump-probe studies already exist and serve as a reference. We compared quantum dynamical simulations with and without environment and noticed the necessity to model the influence of the solvent cage on the reactive motions of the solute. The frictional force induced by the dynamic viscosity of the solvent is implemented in the quantum mechanical formalism with a newly developed approach called the dynamic continuum ansatz. Only when the environment is included are the experimentally observed products reproduced on the subpicosecond time scale.

The conformational behavior, geometry and energy parameters of Menshutkin-like reaction of O-isopropylidene-protected glycofuranoid mesylates in view of DFT calculations

The formation of pyridinium salts in the transformation of three O-isopropylidene-protected mesylates of furanoid sugar derivatives under pyridine action is considered at the B3LYP/6-31+G** computation level. All the structures were optimized in the gas phase, in chloroform and water. Activation barrier heights in the gas phase were also estimated at the B3LYP/6-311++G**, MPW1K/6-31+G** and MPW1K/6-311++G** levels. The conducted calculations, both in the gas phase (regardless of the computation level) and in solvents, revealed the barrier height increasing order as follows: 1>2>3 for the three reactions studied. The conformational behavior of the five-membered ring is discussed in the gas phase and in solvents. The fused dioxolane ring makes the furanoid ring less likely to undergo conformational changes. In the case of reaction 3, the furanoid ring shape does not change either in the gas phase or in solvents. All conformers are close to E0 or (0)E.

Menshutkin reaction between DABCO and benzyfluoride/fluorodiphenylmethane: a mechanistic study

The microcosmic mechanism of the Menshutkin reaction between DABCO and benzyl fluoride/fluorodiphenylmethane has been investigated in both the gas and solvent phase by performing DFT calculations at B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level of theory. The Gibbs free energy profiles to reach the possible transition states, i.e., five-membered ring transition state and SN2 transition state show that the reaction between DABCO and benzyl fluoride proceeds through SN2 transition state in accordance with previously reported studies, while the reaction between DABCO and fluorodiphenylmethane proceeds through five-membered ring transition state contrary to earlier literature. The role of solvent has been elucidated by reoptimizing the structures using SMD model of solvation. Hydrogen bonding and steric hinderance have been identified as the key factors in guiding the reaction pathway of commercially important Menshutkin reaction.

DFT studies of conversion of methyl chloride and three substituted chloromethyl tetrahydrofuran derivatives during reaction with trimethylamine

B3LYP/6-31+G** level computations were performed for the formation of four trimethylammonium salts in the reaction of methyl chloride (1a), (S)-1,4-andydro-5-chloro-2,3,5-trideoxypentitol (2a), (2S,5S)-2,5-andydro-6-chloro-1,3,4,6-tetradeoxyhexitol (3a) and methyl 5-chloro-2,3,5-trideoxy-β-D-pentofuranoside (4a) with trimethylamine. All the structures were fully optimized in the gas phase, in chloroform and water. In addition, B3LYP/6-311++G** and MPW1K/6-31+G** level calculations were carried out to estimate activation barrier heights in the gas phase. A detailed description of all stationary points is presented, and the conformational behavior of the THF ring is discussed. B3LYP and MPW1K activation barriers indicate the reaction between methyl chloride and trimethylamine to be the fastest, whereas reaction 4 is the slowest one, both in the gas phase and in solvents. THF ring conformation changes were observed for reactions 2 and 3 along the reaction pathway, whereas it was almost unchanged for reaction 4, in the gas phase. In the case of reactions 2 and 3, different shapes of the THF ring were found for the transition state geometry in the gas phase and in water. The ⁵E→E₄ and ³E→E₅ conformational changes were observed for reactions 2 and 3, respectively.

Graphical abstract

Study of methylation of nitrogen-containing compounds in the gas phase

The methyl migration between the protonated N,N-dimethylisopropylamine and other neutral aliphatic amines in the gas phase has been investigated by a hybrid external chemical ionization source ion trap mass spectrometer. Similar reactions have been found in the aqueous solution by Callahan and Wolfenden (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003; 125: 310). At the same time, density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that in contrast with the neutral N,N-dimethylisopropylamine, protonated N,N-dimethylisopropylamine is a better methyl donor. These results indicate that protonation promotes the methyl migration between aliphatic amines both in the gas phase and in the aqueous solution. In addition, methyl transfer also exists between the protonated N,N-dimethylisopropylamine and some other nitrogen-containing compounds.