Processive mechanism trigonal

Several interesting observations have been made on this reaction. First, the rate of isomerization was found to be the same as the rate of dehydration. All attempts to dehydrate the starting complex by conventional techniques were found to lead to isomerization. On the basis of this and other evidence, the mechanism proposed involves the aquation in the complex followed by anation. In this process, water first displaces Cl- in the coordination sphere and then is displaced by the Cl-, possibly by an SN1 mechanism. A trigonal bipyramid transition state could account for the Cl- reentering the coordination sphere to give an cis product. The rate law for this reaction is of the form... 

Whether this condition can be fulfiUed depends on the electron count of the metal, and the stereochemistry of the elimination. For instance, in m-elimination from octahedral d , or square planar d , systems, metal ndipP -y ) acts as acceptor, and this should be a facile process ( e Fip. 1, 2). For /rans-elimination, on tiie other hand, the lowest empty orbital of correct symmetry is (n + l)p. Such elimination Kerns energetically less Ukely, unless a non-concerted pathway (such as successive anionic and cationic loss) is available. The same arguments apply, of course, to oxidative additions. It foUows that the many known cases of traits oxidative addition to square planar t/ systems are unlikely to take place by a concerted mechanism, and this conclusion is now generally accepted There are special complexities in reductive elimination from trigonal systems, and these are discussed furdier in Part III. 

Mechanisms for such reactions have been viewed by the effective coordination number of the transition state. Bond rupture processes proceed via five-coordinate transition states for which idealized square-pyramidal (SP) and trigonal-bipyramidal (TBP) geometries with the dangling ligand axial or equatorial have been considered. Twist mechanisms are considered to proceed via six-coordinate transition states with idealized trigonal prismatic (TP) geometry. Twists of the chelate rings about the real or pseudo C3 axis in the case of the cis or trans isomer, respectively, and about the... 

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