Catalysis, general acid reaction

Experimentally, general base catalysis can be distinguished from specific base catalysis by analysis of the effect of buffer concentration on the overall reaction rate. See also Specific Base Catalysis Catalysis General Acid Catalysis... 

It is a major challenge to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for the efficiencies of enzymes. Jencks (1) offered the following classification of the mechanisms by which enzymes achieve transition state stabilization and the resulting acceleration of the reactions proximity and orientation effects of reactants, covalent catalysis, general acid-base catalysis, conformational distortion of the reactants, and preorganization of the active sites for transition state complementarity. 

FER CATALYSIS GENERAL ACID CATALYSIS GENERAL BASE CATALYSIS HOMOGENEOUS CATALYST HETEROGENEOUS CATALYST INTRAMOLECULAR CATALYSIS MICELLAR CATALYSIS Mich ALT IS-MeNTEN KINETICS PHASE-TRANSFER CATALYSIS PSEUDOCATALYSIS RATE OF REACTION SPECIFIC CATALYSIS. 

Several situations can lead to the observation of general acid catalysis. General acid catalysis can occur as a result of hydrogen bonding between the reactant R and a proton donor D-H to form a reactive complex D-H R, which then undergoes reaction with a reactant Z ... 

Creating enzymes in the processes of biological evolution, the Nature used whole arsenal of mechanisms of chemical reactions including covalent catalysis, general acid/base catalysis, electrostatic catalysis, desolvation, strain or distortion of a substrate, concerted reactions, short- and long-range electron transfer, multielectron transfer, switching mechanism and donor-acceptor catalysis (See Chapter 17). 

The sulfonated resin is a close analogue of -toluenesulfonic acid in terms of stmcture and catalyst performance. In the presence of excess water, the SO H groups are dissociated, and specific acid catalysis takes place in the swelled resin just as it takes place in an aqueous solution. When the catalyst is used with weakly polar reactants or with concentrations of polar reactants that are too low to cause dissociation of the acid groups, general acid catalysis prevails and water is a strong reaction inhibitor (63). 

The role that acid and base catalysts play can be quantitatively studied by kinetic techniques. It is possible to recognize several distinct types of catalysis by acids and bases. The term specie acid catalysis is used when the reaction rate is dependent on the equilibrium for protonation of the reactant. This type of catalysis is independent of the concentration and specific structure of the various proton donors present in solution. Specific acid catalysis is governed by the hydrogen-ion concentration (pH) of the solution. For example, for a series of reactions in an aqueous buffer system, flie rate of flie reaction would be a fimetion of the pH, but not of the concentration or identity of the acidic and basic components of the buffer. The kinetic expression for any such reaction will include a term for hydrogen-ion concentration, [H+]. The term general acid catalysis is used when the nature and concentration of proton donors present in solution affect the reaction rate. The kinetic expression for such a reaction will include a term for each of the potential proton donors that acts as a catalyst. The terms specific base catalysis and general base catalysis apply in the same way to base-catalyzed reactions. 

The experimental detection of general acid catafysis is done by rate measurements at constant pH but differing buffer concentration. Because under these circumstances [H+] is constant but the weak acid component(s) of the buffer (HA, HA, etc.) changes, the observation of a change in rate is evidence of general acid catalysis. If the rate remains constant, the reaction exhibits specific acid catalysis. Similarly, general base-catalyzed reactions show a dependence of the rate on the concentration and identity of the basic constituents of the buffer system. 

Notice that specific acid catalysis describes a situation in which the reactant is in equilibrium with regard to proton transfer, and proton transfer is not rate-determining. On the other hand, each case that leads to general acid catalysis involves proton transfer in the rate-determining step. Because of these differences, the study of rates as a function of pH and buffer concentrations can permit conclusions about the nature of proton-transfer processes and their relationship to the rate-determining step in a reaction. 

In agreement with expectation for a rate-determining proton transfer, the reaction shows general acid catalysis. Base-catalyzed ketonization occurs by C-protonation of the enolate. 

Derive the general expression for the observed rate constant for hydrolysis of A as a function of pH. Assume, as is the case experimentally, that intramolecular general acid catalysis completely outweighs intermolecular catalysis by hydronium ion in the pH range of interest. Does the form of your expression agree with the pH rate profile given for this reaction in Fig. 8.6 (p. 489) ... 

The rate equation for this reaction is expected to be v = A [RCOOR [MeNH2], but it is possible for terms like A [RCOOR ][MeNH2] or A "[RCOOR ] [MeNH2j[MeNH3 ] to be present. The k term could be a general base catalysis or nucleophilic attack, the k" term, general acid catalysis of nucleophilic attack. 

The existence of Br nsted relationships affects the experimental problem of detecting general acid or base catalysis. This is clearly shown by an example given by Bell. Consider the reaction under study as carried out in an aqueous solution containing 0.10 M acetic acid and 0.10 M sodium acetate, and suppose that the Br nsted equation applies. Three catalytic species are present these are HjO, with = - 1.74 H2O, pKa 15.74 and HOAc, pTiT 4.76. -pp i7i-3 93.pp.9i-5 9s concentrations of these acids are 1.76 x lO- M, 55.5 M, and 0.10 M, respec-... 

FIGURE 16.11 Specific and general acid-base catalysis of simple reactions in solution may be distinguished by determining the dependence of observed reaction rate constants (/sobs) pH and buffer concentration, (a) In specific acid-base catalysis, or OH concentration affects the reaction rate, is pH-dependent, but buffers (which accept or donate H /OH ) have no effect, (b) In general acid-base catalysis, in which an ionizable buffer may donate or accept a proton in the transition state, is dependent on buffer concentration. 

In terms of the final loss of aniline after ring closure, the fact that reactions using EtsN and BU3N, (ammonium ion as proton source) occurred at the same rate as the reactions with methoxide base (MeOH as proton source) suggested a lack of general acid catalysis. Also, it was found that varying the amount of available acid did not change the rate of cyclization appreciably. ... 

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