Sn2 versus

The SET mechanism is chiefly found where X = I or NO2 (see 10-104). A closely related mechanism, the SrnE takes place with aromatic substrates (Chapter 13). In that mechanism the initial attack is by an electron donor, rather than a nucleophile. The Srn 1 mechanism has also been invoked for reactions of enolate anions with 2-iodobicyclo[4.1.0]heptane. An example is the reaction of l-iodobicyclo[2.2.1]-heptane (15) with NaSnMe3 or LiPPh2, and some other nucleophiles, to give the substitution product. Another is the reaction of bromo 4-bromoacetophenone (16) with Bu4NBr in cumene. " The two mechanisms, Sn2 versus SET have been compared and contrasted. There are also reactions where it is reported that radical, carbanion, and carbene pathways occur simultaneously. ... 

There will be many times in the second half of this course when you will be trying to determine which way a reaction will proceed from two possible outcomes. Many times, you will choose one outcome, because the other outcome has steric problems to overcome (the geometry of the molecules does not permit the reactive sites to get close together). In fact, you will learn to make decisions like this as soon as you learn your first reactions Sn2 versus SnI reactions. Now that we know why geometry is so important, we need to brush up on some basic concepts. 

Fig. 19 Sn2 versus outer sphere, dissociative single electron transfer (in the case where this is adiabatic in all directions). (Adapted from Lexa et al 1988.)...

Examples of the solvent-dependent competition between nucleophilic substitution and / -elimination reactions [i.e. SnI versus Ei and Sn2 versus E2) have already been given in Section 5.3.1 [cf. Table 5-7). A nice example of a dichotomic y9-elimination reaction, which can proceed via an Ei or E2 mechanism depending on the solvent used, is shown in Eq. (5-140a) cf. also Eqs. (5-20) and (5-21) in Section 5.3.1. The thermolysis of the potassium salt of racemic 2,3-dibromo-l-phenylpropanoic acid (A), prepared by bromine addition to ( )-cinnamic acid, yields, in polar solvents [e.g. water), apart from carbon dioxide and potassium bromide, the ( )-isomer of l-bromo-2-phenylethene, while in solvents with low or intermediate polarity e.g. butanone) it yields the (Z)-isomer [851]. 

C arbyne complexes, rcacbons of. 377. 380 Chemosclcctiviiy (. r Himctallic I oinpound.s of magnesium aid rinc Substitiilion reactions., Sn2 versus Sn2 )... 

LFER. Consider the Sn2 reactions of XC6H4CH2CI with I- (ki) and the SN1 reactions. with OH (fc0H)- The reaction constants are given in Table 10-2. Sketch the appearance of a plot of log ki versus log kon- What is its slope ... 

Effect of Solvent on Elimination versus Substitution. Increasing polarity of solvent favors Sn2 reactions at the expense of E2. In the classical example, alcoholic KOH is used to effect elimination, while the more polar aqueous KOH is used for substitution. Charge-dispersal discussions, similar to those on page 450, only partially explain this. In most solvents, SnI reactions are favored over El. The El reactions compete best in polar solvents that are poor nucleophiles, especially dipolar aprotic solvents" A study made in the gas phase, where there is no solvent, has shown that when 1-bromopropane reacts with MeO only elimination takes place no substitution even with this primary substrate." ... 

Figure2. Sn2 rate constant versus Cl +CH3Br relative translational energy and ChbBr...

Additional experimental, theoretical, and computational work is needed to acquire a complete understanding of the microscopic dynamics of gas-phase SN2 nucleophilic substitution reactions. Experimental measurements of the SN2 reaction rate versus excitation of specific vibrational modes of RY (equation 1) are needed, as are experimental studies of the dissociation and isomerization rates of the X--RY complex versus specific excitations of the complex s intermolecular and intramolecular modes. Experimental studies that probe the molecular dynamics of the [X-. r - Y]- central barrier region would also be extremely useful. 

Hiratsuka et al102 used water-soluble tetrasulfonated Co and Ni phthalocyanines (M-TSP) as homogeneous catalysts for C02 reduction to formic acid at an amalgamated platinum electrode. The current-potential and capacitance-potential curves showed that the reduction potential of C02 was reduced by ca. 0.2 to 0.4 V at 1 mA/cm2 in Clark-Lubs buffer solutions in the presence of catalysts compared to catalyst-free solutions. The authors suggested that a two-step mechanism for C02 reduction in which a C02-M-TSP complex was formed at ca. —0.8 V versus SCE, the first reduction wave of M-TSP, and then the reduction of C02-M-TSP took place at ca. -1.2 V versus SCE, the second reduction wave. Recently, metal phthalocyanines deposited on carbon electrodes have been used127 for electroreduction of C02 in aqueous solutions. The catalytic activity of the catalysts depended on the central metal ions and the relative order Co2+ > Ni2+ Fe2+ = Cu2+ > Cr3+, Sn2+ was obtained. On electrolysis at a potential between -1.2 and -1.4V (versus SCE), formic acid was the product with a current efficiency of ca. 60% in solutions of pH greater than 5, while at lower pH... 

Fig. 3 The calculated secondary a-deuterium KIEs versus the looseness parameter L for seven identity SN2 reactions. Calculations 4-31G, 6-31+ G, A MP2/ 6-31 + G. Data from Table 6. Modified, with permission, from Wolfe and Kim...

Fig. 4 The total secondary a-deuterium KIE versus the bending vibration contribution to the KIE for the SN2 reactions of methyl fluorides and chlorides with different nucleophiles at 25°C. The open circles are for the methyl chloride reactions and the solid circles are for the methyl fluoride reactions. Data from Poirier et al. (1994), with...

Fig. 10 The secondary a-deuterium KIE for the identity SN2 reactions between halide ions and methyl halides versus the elongation of the C—X bond on going from the reactant to the transition state. Data from Glad and Jensen (1997), modified, with...

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