Proton transfer example mechanism

Photochromism Based on Tautomerism. Several substituted anils of saHcylaldehydes are photochromic but only in the crystalline state. The photochromic mechanism involves a proton transfer and geometric isomerization (21). An example of a photochromic anil is /V-sa1icylidene-2-ch1oToani1ine [3172-42-7] C H qCINO. 

The details of proton-transfer processes can also be probed by examination of solvent isotope effects, for example, by comparing the rates of a reaction in H2O versus D2O. The solvent isotope effect can be either normal or inverse, depending on the nature of the proton-transfer process in the reaction mechanism. D3O+ is a stronger acid than H3O+. As a result, reactants in D2O solution are somewhat more extensively protonated than in H2O at identical acid concentration. A reaction that involves a rapid equilibrium protonation will proceed faster in D2O than in H2O because of the higher concentration of the protonated reactant. On the other hand, if proton transfer is part of the rate-determining step, the reaction will be faster in H2O than in D2O because of the normal primary kinetic isotope effect of the type considered in Section 4.5. 

A catalyst is defined as a substance that influences the rate or the direction of a chemical reaction without being consumed. Homogeneous catalytic processes are where the catalyst is dissolved in a liquid reaction medium. The varieties of chemical species that may act as homogeneous catalysts include anions, cations, neutral species, enzymes, and association complexes. In acid-base catalysis, one step in the reaction mechanism consists of a proton transfer between the catalyst and the substrate. The protonated reactant species or intermediate further reacts with either another species in the solution or by a decomposition process. Table 1-1 shows typical reactions of an acid-base catalysis. An example of an acid-base catalysis in solution is hydrolysis of esters by acids. 

The first step of this new mechanism is exactly the sane as that seen earlier for the reaction of tcrt-butyl alcohol with hydrogen chloride—fonnation of an alkyloxonium ion by proton transfer from the hydrogen halide to the alcohol. Like the earlier example, this is a rapid, reversible Brpnsted acid-base reaction. 

A detailed mechanism of Goldschmidt s process has not been given two reaction paths are possible either proton transfer to the acid with the formation of RC(OH) (in which case the slow step would be an Aac2 Ingold mechanism) or nucleophilic attack of the carbonyl group of the acid on the protonated alcohol. The second mechanism would require an alkyl scission (A l). In more recent studies2501, it has been shown that scission in most cases is of the acyl type and particularly in the examples studied by Goldschmidt. 

As is the case for cationic polymerisation, anionic polymerisation can terminate by only one mechanism, that is by proton transfer to give a terminally unsaturated polymer. However, proton transfer to initiator is rare - in the example just quoted, it would involve the formation of the unstable species NaH containing hydride ions. Instead proton transfer has to occur to some kind of impurity which is capable for forming a more stable product. This leads to the interesting situation that where that monomer has been rigorously purified, termination cannot occur. Instead reaction continues until all of the monomer has been consumed but leaves the anionic centre intact. Addition of extra monomer causes further polymerisation to take place. The potentially reactive materials that result from anionic initiation are known as living polymers. 

The reaction exhibits first-order kinetics (in substrate) as expected. Of course the solvent is not expected to appear in the rate equation, even if it were involved in the rate-determining step (p. 291), but this point can be easily checked by adding a small amount of the conjugate base of the solvent. It is generally found that such an addition does not increase the rate of the reaction. If this more powerful base does not enter into the rate-determining step, it is unlikely that the solvent does. An example of an El mechanism with a rate-determining second step (proton transfer) has been reported. ... 

Most of the AIMD simulations described in the literature have assumed that Newtonian dynamics was sufficient for the nuclei. While this is often justified, there are important cases where the quantum mechanical nature of the nuclei is crucial for even a qualitative understanding. For example, tunneling is intrinsically quantum mechanical and can be important in chemistry involving proton transfer. A second area where nuclei must be described quantum mechanically is when the BOA breaks down, as is always the case when multiple coupled electronic states participate in chemistry. In particular, photochemical processes are often dominated by conical intersections [14,15], where two electronic states are exactly degenerate and the BOA fails. In this chapter, we discuss our recent development of the ab initio multiple spawning (AIMS) method which solves the elecronic and nuclear Schrodinger equations simultaneously this makes AIMD approaches applicable for problems where quantum mechanical effects of both electrons and nuclei are important. We present an overview of what has been achieved, and make a special effort to point out areas where further improvements can be made. Theoretical aspects of the AIMS method are... 

In the two examples of buffer catalysis of proton transfer from an intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded acid which have been discussed, it seems reasonably certain that the mechanism in Scheme 7 applies. The reactions are of the first order with respect to the catalyst B and it therefore follows that proton removal from the non-hydrogen-bonded species is rate-limiting k j > 2[B]- If this step consists of diffusion-controlled proton removal from a low concentration intermediate, the value k2 lx 109dm3 moP s-1 will apply for proton transfer to an amine. In the case of proton removal by hydroxide ion from 4-(3-nitrophenylazo)salicylate ion, the reaction was found to be of the first order in hydroxide ion up to the highest concentrations which could be studied (0.003 mol dm-3) with a rate... 

With propene, n-butene, and n-pentene, the alkanes formed are propane, n-butane, and n-pentane (plus isopentane), respectively. The production of considerable amounts of light -alkanes is a disadvantage of this reaction route. Furthermore, the yield of the desired alkylate is reduced relative to isobutane and alkene consumption (8). For example, propene alkylation with HF can give more than 15 vol% yield of propane (21). Aluminum chloride-ether complexes also catalyze self-alkylation. However, when acidity is moderated with metal chlorides, the self-alkylation activity is drastically reduced. Intuitively, the formation of isobutylene via proton transfer from an isobutyl cation should be more pronounced at a weaker acidity, but the opposite has been found (92). Other properties besides acidity may contribute to the self-alkylation activity. Earlier publications concerned with zeolites claimed this mechanism to be a source of hydrogen for saturating cracking products or dimerization products (69,93). However, as shown in reaction (10), only the feed alkene will be saturated, and dehydrogenation does not take place. 

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