Phenyl group ionization constants

As a result of the inductive and hyperconjugative effects it is to be expected that tertiary carbonium ions will be more stable than secondary carbonium ions, which in turn will be more stable than primary ions. The stabilization of the corresponding transition states for ionization should be in the same order, since the transition state will somewhat resemble the ion. Thus the first order rate constant for the solvolysis of tert-buty bromide in alkaline 80% aqueous ethanol at 55° is about 4000 times that of isopropyl bromide, while for ethyl and methyl bromides the first order contribution to the hydrolysis rate is imperceptible against the contribution from the bimolecular hydrolysis.217 Formic acid is such a good ionizing solvent that even primary alkyl bromides hydrolyze at a rate nearly independent of water concentration. The relative rates at 100° are tertiary butyl, 108 isopropyl, 44.7 ethyl, 1.71 and methyl, 1.00.218>212 One a-phenyl substituent is about as effective in accelerating the ionization as two a-alkyl groups.212 Thus the reactions of benzyl compounds, like those of secondary alkyl compounds, are of borderline mechanism, while benzhydryl compounds react by the unimolecular ionization mechanism. 

Spontaneous ionization requires both good leaving groups and that the resulting carbenium ions are sufficiently stable. For example, although primary triflates are very stable covalent species which do not self-ionize, secondary triflates with phenyl substitents are very reactive and spontaneously ionize. The ionization equilibrium of styryl triflate could not be established because of side reactions such as Friedel-Crafts alkylation [56], On the other hand, methoxymethylium triflate is partially ionized with equilibrium constants Kj = 5-10 4 at 10° C and Kt = 210 4 at -70° C in S02 [57]. In this system, ionization is endothermic. Secondary triflates with alkoxy substituents, such as those in polymerizations of vinyl ethers, are apparently more strongly ionized than their primary counterparts [58,59],... 

The relation between the constant of the para acid and that of the ortho or meta acid varies with the nature of the substituent. While p-nitrobenzoic acid is a slightly stronger acid than m-nitro-benzoic acid, the constant of p-chlorobenzoic acid is only about one-half that of the meta acid. The case of p-hydroxybenzoic acid is a striking one while o-hydroxybenzoic acid and m-hy-droxybenzoic acid are more highly ionized than benzoic acid, the constant of the para acid is less than half that of benzoic acid. A satisfactory explanation of such facts as these would, no doubt, materially advance organic chemistry. The effect of a phenyl radical on a carboxyl group in a side-chain, is shown by the constants for phenylacetic acid, hydrocinnamic acid, and cinnamic acid. 

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