Proton transfers, isotope effects

As a further step, Phillips and Lee also calculated the 1SN decarboxylation isotope effects for the N3 site. For decarboxylation without proton transfer, and for decarboxylation via 2-protonation, the isotope effect is found to be normal (1.0014 and 1.0027, respectively). The 4-protonation pathway, however, has an inverse IE of 0.9949. Therefore, the authors propose that isotope effects at N3 may be useful for distinguishing between these mechanisms. 

Figure 6.16 Arrhenius diagrams of a degenerate triple hydron transfer. For the HHH-transfer an arbitrary Arrhenius law/t = 10 exp (—27.6 kj moh /f T) in s was assumed, involving the single proton kinetic isotope effects P = Pet — Pf = exp(—7 kJ moh /RT).

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. 

In analyzing the behavior of these types of tetrahedral intermediates, it should be kept in mind that proton-transfer reactions are usually fast relative to other steps. This circumstance permits the possibility that a minor species in equilibrium with the major species may be the major intermediate. Detailed studies of kinetics, solvent isotope effects, and the nature of catalysis are the best tools for investigating the various possibilities. 

This variation from the ester hydrolysis mechanism also reflects the poorer leaving ability of amide ions as compared to alkoxide ions. The evidence for the involvement of the dianion comes from kinetic studies and from solvent isotope effects, which suggest that a rate-limiting proton transfer is involved. The reaction is also higher than first-order in hydroxide ion under these circumstances, which is consistent with the dianion mechanism. 

For this type of reaction the value of the solvent deuterium isotope effect is often a conclusive argument for the proposed mechanism 16). Rate measurements of 1 in acetic acid-acetate buffers in light and heavy water resulted in an isotope effect ktiiO lkozo of 2.5, and A oac/ doac of 9. A ratedetermining proton transfer to the /3-carbon atom of the enamine has been proposed and accounts for the experimental results I6-18 Eq. (5). 

Lifnbach et al. [92JA9657 97BBPG889] made an exhaustive study of proton transfer in solid pyrazoles. For instance, the activation barriers, isotope and tunneling effects of the dimer 67, the trimer 68, and the tetramer 69 were determined. Catemers, like pyrazole itself, do not show dynamic behavior. 

Isotope effect between the HH, HD, DH, and DD isotopomers was used as an important tool to determine the mechanism of the double-proton transfer. For concerted degenerate double-proton transfers in the absence of tunneling, the rule of the geometrical mean (RGM) should hold in good approximation, which states that /chh/ hd = /cdh/ dd-Tunneling may lead to a breakdown of this rule but the relation /chh > hd = dh > dd should remain valid. In the absence of secondary isotope effects the relation /chh HD = DH = 2 /cdd sliould liold for a stepwise pathway, even if tunneling is involved. 

A direct irreversible proton transfer in limiting stage of 1-ethoxybut- l-en-3-yne hydration is confirmed by the value of kinetic isotopic effect k ilk = 2.9. For fast reversible proton transitions this value is less than 1. 

Challis and Rzepa (1975) observed kinetic deuterium isotope effects in the azo coupling of 2-methyl-4,6-di-tert-butylindole (12.139) and its anion. The origin of this effect must also be attributed to steric hindrance of the proton transfer step in the substitution proper, since 2-deuterated methylindole and unsubstituted indole (Binks and Ridd, 1957) do not give isotope effects. 

A true intramolecular proton transfer in the second step of an azo coupling reaction was found by Snyckers and Zollinger (1970a, 1970b) in the reaction of the 8-(2 -pyridyl)-2-naphthoxide ion (with the transition state 12.151). This compound shows neither a kinetic deuterium isotope effect nor general base catalysis, in contrast to the sterically similar 8-phenyl-2-naphthoxide ion. Obviously the heterocyclic nitrogen atom is the proton acceptor. 

For coupling with 2-naphthol-6,8-disulphonic-l-isotope effects (kK/kD) varied with the substituent in the benzenediazonium ion as follows 4-C1 (6.55) 3-C1 (5.48) 4-N02 (4.78), i.e. the reactivity of the ion was increased so that i correspondingly decreased. Base catalysis was observed127, 129, and there was a free energy relationship between this catalytic effect and the basicity of pyridine, 3- and 4-picoline. However, for 2-picoline and 2,6-lutidine, the catalysis was 3 times and 10 times less than expected from their basicities showing that, in this particular proton transfer, steric hindrance is important. 

Since the rate was independent of acidity even over the range where H0 and pH differ, and the concentration of free amine is inversely proportional to the acidity function it follows that the rate of substitution is proportional to h0. If the substitution rate was proportional to [H30+] then a decrease in rate by a factor of 17 should be observed on changing [H+] from 0.05 to 6.0. This was not observed and the discrepancy is not a salt effect since chloride ion had no effect. Thus the rate of proton transfer from the medium depends on the acidity function, yet the mechanism of the reaction (confirmed by the isotope effect studies) is A-SE2, so that again correlation of rate with acidity function is not a satisfactory criterion of the A-l mechanism. 

---