Solvent Effects on Enolate Structure and Reactivity

The rate of alkylation of enolate ions is strongly dependent on the solvent in which the reaction is carried out.41 The relative rates of reaction of the sodium enolate of diethyl n-butylmalonate with n-butyl bromide are shown in Table 1.3. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and iV,Ai-dimethylformamide (DMF) are particularly effective in enhancing the reactivity of enolate ions. Both of these are polar aprotic solvents. Other 

Generation and Properties of Enolates and Other Stabilized Carbanions 

The effect of HMPA on the reactivity of cyclopentanone enolate has been examined.44 This enolate is primarily a dimer, even in the presence of excess HMPA, but the reactivity increases by a factor of 7500 for a tenfold excess of HMPA at -50° C. The kinetics of the reaction with CH3I are consistent with the dimer being the active nucleophile. It should be kept in mind that the reactivity of regio- and stereoisomeric enolates may be different and the alkylation product ratio may not reflect the enolate composition. This issue was studied with 2-heptanone.45 Although kinetic deprotonation in THF favors the 1-enolate, a nearly equal mixture of C(l) and C(3) alkylation was observed. The inclusion of HMPA improved the C(l) selectivity to 11 1 and also markedly accelerated the rate of the reaction. These results are presumably due to increased reactivity and less competition from enolate isomerization in the presence of HMPA. 

The effect of chelating polyamines on the rate and yield of benzylation of the lithium enolate of 1-tetralone was compared with HMPA and DMPU. The triamine 

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