Multi-protonic acids

Multi-protonic acids and multi-basic alkalis... 

This formal definition of Ka can be extended to multi-protic acids. We consider the dissociation to occur in a step-wise manner, the acid losing one proton at a time. Consider, for example, the two-proton donation reactions of sulphuric acid ... 

Multi-protic acids have a different value of Ka for each proton donation step, with the values of Ka decreasing with each proton donation step. 

Several authors reported the use of ionic liquids containing protonic acid in catalysis (118-120). For example, strong Bronsted acidity in ionic liquids has been reported to successfully catalyze tetrahydropyranylation of alcohols (120). Tetra-hydropyranylation is one of the most widely used processes for the protection of alcohols and phenols in multi-step syntheses. Although the control experiments with the ionic liquids showed negligible activity in the absence of the added acids, high yields of product were obtained with the ionic liquid catalysts TPPTS or TPP.HBr-[BMIM]PF6. By rapid extraction of the product from the acidic ionic liquid phase by diethyl ether, the reaction medium was successfully reused for 22 cycles without an appreciable activity loss. A gradual loss of the catalyst and a reduced volume of the ionic liquid were noted, however, as a consequence of transfer to the extraction solvent. 

The dissociation constants fC — Kn for a multi-protic acid HrA are defined as stepwise or macroscopic constants (also called molecular constants). For some compounds, e.g. alanine, the pfCa values are far apart (pfC and pK2 are 2.4 and 9.8, respectively). The macroscopic constants can be assigned specifically, fCj to the carboxyl group and K2 to the protonated amino group. At the isoelectric pH of 6.1 the alanine exists almost entirely as the dipolar ion. However, for compounds in which the macroscopic pfCa values are closer together, they cannot be assigned to specific groups. We will consider some specific examples in the next section. 

This method has been extended to include imines other than A -thia-zolines, hence enabling the synthesis of multi ring-fused 2-pyridones (28,30, and 33, Scheme 8). Thus, by reacting dihydroisoquinoUnes 27 or /1-carboUnes 29 with acyl Meldrum s acid derivatives 24, a set of new ring-fused heterocycles was prepared in moderate to excellent yields (a and b. Scheme 8). These systems were prepared by using trifluoro acetic acid (TFA) as a proton source instead of solutions saturated with HCl (g). The switch of acid proved to be advantageous since it reduced the formation of by-products and increased the isolated yields. From a practical point of view, TFA is also su-... 

Depending on the solvent, the acidity of the solution, and the charge of the polyanion, the reductions involve either single-electron or multi-electron steps, often accompanied by protonation. In protic solvents, the Keggin anions exhibit... 

The details of protonation of several alkyl-substituted phenanthrenes by superacids have been reported.73 The observed mono- and di-cations are usually in agreement with those predicted by AMI MO calculations. Molecular modelling studies have suggested a multi-step pathway for the sulfonation of toluene widi sulfur trioxide.74 Intermediate 71-complcx. Wheland intermediate and pyrosulfonate species (34) are suggested, the product (p-toluenesulfonic acid) arising from an exothermic reaction between toluene and the acid (35) fonned by a facile prototropic rearrangement of (34). The sulfur trioxide monosulfonation of isopyrene and some derivatives leads usually to sulfonated... 

It has been reported that rates of proton transfer from carbon acids to water or hydroxide ion can be predicted by application of multi-dimensional Marcus theory to a model whereby diffusion of the base to the carbon acid is followed by simple proton transfer to give a pyramidal anion, planarization of the carbon, and adjustment of the bond lengths to those found in the final anion.124 The intrinsic barriers can be estimated without input of kinetic information. The method has been illustrated by application to a range of carbon acids having considerable variation in apparent intrinsic barrier. 

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