Addition reactions isotope effects

In a hydronium ion catalyzed reaction with rate-determining proton transfer, we have to consider an additional secondary isotope effect referring to the two OH(OD) bonds of H30+(D30+) which are not broken. As the zero point energy per OH bond is higher for water than for hydronium ion [97, 98], the contribution of the secondary isotope effect to the experimental value of fcH/fcD must be smaller than 1 [99]. Accordingly, the range of expected values of fcH/fcn for rate-determining proton transfer from H30+ extends from ca. 0.8 to ca. 9. 

The azo coupling reaction proceeds by the electrophilic aromatic substitution mechanism. In the case of 4-chlorobenzenediazonium compound with l-naphthol-4-sulfonic acid [84-87-7] the reaction is not base-catalyzed, but that with l-naphthol-3-sulfonic acid and 2-naphthol-8-sulfonic acid [92-40-0] is moderately and strongly base-catalyzed, respectively. The different rates of reaction agree with kinetic studies of hydrogen isotope effects in coupling components. The magnitude of the isotope effect increases with increased steric hindrance at the coupler reaction site. The addition of bases, even if pH is not changed, can affect the reaction rate. In polar aprotic media, reaction rate is different with alkyl-ammonium ions. Cationic, anionic, and nonionic surfactants can also influence the reaction rate (27). 

Detailed analysis of isotope effects reveals that there are many other factors that can contribute to the overall effect in addition to the dominant change in bond vibrations. For that reason, it is not possible to quantitatively predict the magnitude of either primary or seconday isotope effects for a given reaction. Furthermore, there is not a sharp numerical division between primary and secondary effects, especially in the range between 1 and 2. 

However, measurements of substituent effects supported the hypothesis that the aryl cation is a key intermediate in dediazoniations, provided that they were interpreted in an appropriate way (Zollinger, 1973a Ehrenson et al., 1973 Swain et al., 1975 a). We will first consider the activation energy and then discuss the influence of substituents, as well as additional data concerning the aryl cation as a metastable intermediate (kinetic isotope effects, influence of water acitivity in hydroxy-de-di-azoniations). Finally, the cases of dediazoniation in which the rate of reaction is first-order with regard to the concentration of the nucleophile will be critically evaluated. 

Penton and Zollinger (1979, 1981 b) reported that this could indeed be the case. The coupling reactions of 3-methylaniline and A,7V-dimethylaniline with 4-methoxy-benzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate in dry acetonitrile showed a number of unusual characteristics, in particular an increase in the kinetic deuterium isotope effect with temperature. C-coupling occurs predominantly (>86% for 3-methylaniline), but on addition of tert-butylammonium chloride the rate became much faster, and triazenes were predominantly formed (with loss of a methyl group in the case of A V-di-methylaniline). Therefore, the initial attack of the diazonium ion is probably at the amine N-atom, and aminoazo formation occurs via rearrangement. 

The log rate versus acid strength curve for the latter compound is of the exact form expected for reactions of the free base, whilst that of the former compound is intermediate between this form and that obtained for the nitration of aniline and phenyltrimethylammonium ion, i.e. compounds which react as positive species. That these compounds react mainly or entirely via the free base is also indicated by the comparison of the rate coefficients in Table 8 with those in Table 5, from which it can be seen that the nitro substituent here only deactivates weakly, whilst the chloro substitutent appears to activate. In addition, both compounds show a solvent isotope effect (Table 9), the rate coefficients being lower for the deuterium-containing media, as expected since the free base concentration will be lower in these. 

The differences in rate for the two positions of naphthalene show clearly that an additional-elimination mechanism may be ruled out. On the other hand, the magnitude of the above isotope effect is smaller than would be expected for a reaction involving rate-determining abstraction of hydrogen, so a mechanism involving significant internal return had been proposed, equilibria (239) and (240), p. 266. In this base-catalysed (B-SE2) reaction both k and k 2 must be fast in view of the reaction path symmetry. If diffusion away of the labelled solvent molecule BH is not rapid compared with the return reaction kLt a considerable fraction of ArLi reacts with BH rather than BH, the former possibility leading to no nett isotope effect. Since the diffusion process is unlikely to have an isotope effect then the overall observed effect will be less than that for the step k. ... 

What concerns us here are three topics addressing the fates of bromonium ions in solution and details of the mechanism for the addition reaction. In what follows, we will discuss the x-ray structure of the world s only known stable bromonium ion, that of adamantylideneadamantane, (Ad-Ad, 1) and show that it is capable of an extremely rapid degenerate transfer of Br+ in solution to an acceptor olefin. Second, we will discuss the use of secondary a-deuterium kinetic isotope effects (DKie) in mechanistic studies of the addition of Br2 to various deuterated cyclohexenes 2,2. Finally, we will explore the possibility of whether a bromonium ion, generated in solution from the solvolysis of traAU -2-bromo-l-[(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)oxy]cyclohexane 4, can be captured by Br on the Br+ of the bromonium ion, thereby generating olefin and Br2. This process would be... 

The first step, as we have already seen (12-3), actually consists of two steps. The second step is very similar to the first step in electrophilic addition to double bonds (p. 970). There is a great deal of evidence for this mechanism (1) the rate is first order in substrate (2) bromine does not appear in the rate expression at all, ° a fact consistent with a rate-determining first step (3) the reaction rate is the same for bromination, chlorination, and iodination under the same conditions (4) the reaction shows an isotope effect and (5) the rate of the step 2-step 3 sequence has been independently measured (by starting with the enol) and found to be very fast. With basic catalysts the mechanism may be the same as that given above (since bases also catalyze formation of the enol), or the reaction may go directly through the enolate ion without formation of the enol ... 

However, a number of examples have been found where addition of bromine is not stereospecifically anti. For example, the addition of Bf2 to cis- and trans-l-phenylpropenes in CCI4 was nonstereospecific." Furthermore, the stereospecificity of bromine addition to stilbene depends on the dielectric constant of the solvent. In solvents of low dielectric constant, the addition was 90-100% anti, but with an increase in dielectric constant, the reaction became less stereospecific, until, at a dielectric constant of 35, the addition was completely nonstereospecific.Likewise in the case of triple bonds, stereoselective anti addition was found in bromination of 3-hexyne, but both cis and trans products were obtained in bromination of phenylacetylene. These results indicate that a bromonium ion is not formed where the open cation can be stabilized in other ways (e.g., addition of Br+ to 1 -phenylpropene gives the ion PhC HCHBrCH3, which is a relatively stable benzylic cation) and that there is probably a spectrum of mechanisms between complete bromonium ion (2, no rotation) formation and completely open-cation (1, free rotation) formation, with partially bridged bromonium ions (3, restricted rotation) in between. We have previously seen cases (e.g., p. 415) where cations require more stabilization from outside sources as they become intrinsically less stable themselves. Further evidence for the open cation mechanism where aryl stabilization is present was reported in an isotope effect study of addition of Br2 to ArCH=CHCHAr (Ar = p-nitrophenyl, Ar = p-tolyl). The C isotope effect for one of the double bond carbons (the one closer to the NO2 group) was considerably larger than for the other one. ... 

In most cases, more 1,4- than 1,2-addition product is obtained. This may be a consequence of thermodynamic control of products, as against kinetic. In most cases, under the reaction conditions, 15 is converted to a mixture of 15 and 16, which is richer in 16. That is, either isomer gives the same mixture of both, which contains more 16. It was found that at low temperatures, butadiene and HCl gave only 20-25% 1,4 adduct, while at high temperatures, where attainment of equilibrium is more likely, the mixture contained 75% 1,4 product. 1,2 Addition predominated over 1,4 in the reaction between DCl and 1,3-pentadiene, where the intermediate was the symmetrical (except for the D label) HjCHC—CH—CHCH2D. Ion pairs were invoked to explain this result, since a free ion would be expected to be attacked by Cl equally well at both positions, except for the very small isotope effect. 

In addition to the magnetic differences between the deuteron and proton, however, their mass difference may also cause observable effects. A well known example is found in the theory of chemical reactions, where the so called kinetic isotope effects (KIE s) are an important source of information about reaction mechanisms. Also in the field of ESR, such effects may arise, although these have been much less studied than the KIE s. 

A few results have been reported on the oxidation of cyclohexanol by acidic permanganate In the absence of added fluoride ions the reaction is first-order in both alcohol and oxidant , the apparent first-order rate coefficient (for excess alcohol) at 25 °C following an acidity dependence k = 3.5-1-16.0 [H30 ]sec fcg/A , depends on acidity (3.2 in dilute acid, 2.4 in 1 M acid) and D2o/ H20 is f-74. Addition of fluoride permitted observation of the reaction for longer periods (before precipitation) and under these conditions methanol is attacked at about the same rates as di-isopropyl ether, although dioxan is oxidised over twenty times more slowly. The lack of specificity and the isotope effect indicates that a hydride-ion abstraction mechanism operates under these conditions. (The reactivity of di-isopropyl ether towards two-equivalent oxidants is illustrated by its reaction with Hg(II).) Similar results were obtained with buffered permanganate. 

Another result of the cold-fusion epopee that was positive for electrochemistry are the advances in the experimental investigation and interpretation of isotope effects in electrochemical kinetics. Additional smdies of isotope effects were conducted in the protium-deuterium-tritium system, which had received a great deal of attention previously now these effects have become an even more powerful tool for work directed at determining the mechanisms of electrode reactions, including work at the molecular level. Strong procedural advances have been possible not only in electrochemistry but also in the other areas. 

Reaction conditions can be modified to accelerate the rate of lithiation when necessary. Addition of tertiary amines, especially TMEDA, facilitates lithiation53 by coordination at the lithium and promoting dissociation of aggregated structures. Kinetic and spectroscopic evidence indicates that in the presence of TMEDA lithiation of methoxybenzene involves the solvated dimeric species (BuLi)2(TMEDA)2.54 The reaction shows an isotope effect for the o-hydrogcn, establishing that proton abstraction is rate determining.55 It is likely that there is a precomplexation between the methoxybenzene and organometallic dimer. 

The kinetics for the oxidation of leuco bases using oxygen has been studied.19 The oxidation involves complex formation between the proto-nated leuco base and the peroxy radical formed by air oxidation of the solvent. Addition of a radical initiator (AIBN) facilitates the reaction, while radical inhibitors retard the dye formation. In addition, oxidation reactions employing 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanoquinone have shown large isotope effects in acetonitrile.20... 

Additionally, it has been noted that Tetralin operates via hydride transfer, at least in its reduction of quinones. Thus it has been shown that Tetralin readily donates hydrogen to electron-poor systems, such as quinones at 50°-160°C. The reaction is accelerated by electron-withdrawing substituents on the H-acceptor and polar solvents, and is unaffected by free radical initiators (6). These observations are consistent with hydride transfer, as is the more recent finding of a tritium isotope effect for the reaction (7). 

The observation of a primary solvent deuterium isotope effect (kH/fa>) = 2-4 on the specific acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of vinyl ethers provides evidence for reaction by rate-determining protonation of the alkene.69 Values of kHikD 1 are expected if alkene hydration proceeds by rate-determining addition of solvent to an oxocarbenium ion intermediate, since there is no motion of a solvent hydron at the transition state for this step. However, in the latter case, determination of the solvent isotope effect on the reaction of the fully protonated substrate is complicated by the competing exchange of deuterium from solvent into substrate (see above). 

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