Solvolysis leaving group effects

An unusually large kinetic Br/Cl leaving-group effect has been observed for solvolysis of l-halospiro(adamantane-2,2,-adamantane) in slightly ethanolic or aqueous acetone.149 This is consistent with the occurrence of F-strain. 

Leaving Group Effects on Relative Snjl Solvolysis Rates... 

Winstein suggested that two intermediates preceding the dissociated caibocation were required to reconcile data on kinetics, salt effects, and stereochemistry of solvolysis reactions. The process of ionization initially generates a caibocation and counterion in proximity to each other. This species is called an intimate ion pair (or contact ion pair). This species can proceed to a solvent-separated ion pair, in which one or more solvent molecules have inserted between the caibocation and the leaving group but in which the ions have not diffused apart. The free caibocation is formed by diffusion away from the anion, which is called dissociation. 

The rats of solvolysis of four isomeric tricyclooctane derivatives have been determined. After correction for leaving-group and temperature effects, the relative reactivities are as shown. 

Correlations with o in carboxylic acid derivative reactions have been most successful for variations in the acyl portion, R in RCOX. Variation in the alkyl portion of esters, R in RCOOR, has not led to many good correlations, although use of relative rates of alkaline and acidic reactions, as in the defining relation, can generate linear correlations. The failure to achieve satisfactory correlations with cr for such substrates may be a consequence of the different steric effects of substituents in the acyl and alkyl locations. It has been shown that solvolysis rates of some acetates are related to the pA", of the leaving group, that is, of the parent alcohol. The pK of alcohols has been correlated with but this relationship... 

This reaction proceeds via the transition state illustrated in Fig. 10.2. An Sn2 reaction (second order nucleophilic substitution) in the rate limiting step involves the attack of the nucleophilic reagent on the rear of the (usually carbon) atom to which the leaving group is attached. The rate is thus proportional to both the concentration of nucleophile and substrate and is therefore second order. On the other hand, in an SnI reaction the rate limiting step ordinarily involves the first order formation of an active intermediate (a carbonium ion or partial carbonium ion, for example,) followed by a much more rapid conversion to product. A sampling of a and 3 2° deuterium isotope effects on some SnI and Sn2 solvolysis reactions (i.e. a reaction between the substrate and the solvent medium) is shown in Table 10.2. The... 

Using the common ion effect, first-order rate constants obs are obtained for the solvolysis to ROSol in the presence of an excess of the leaving group X . With the steady-state assumption for the cation R and recognizing that [X ][RX],... 

The allyl cation thus formed may stabilize itself either by readdition of the leaving group — leading to a 2,3-dihalopropene — or by the addition of a nucleophile. The influences of steric and electronic effects on the stereochemistry and on the solvolysis rates of various alkyl-substituted chlorocyclopropanes have been investigated by Parham and co-workers [165, 166], who could show for example that os-2,3-dipropyl-l,l-dichlorocyclopropane solvolyzes 24 times faster than its trans-isomer, in accordance with predictions based on orbital symmetry arguments. When one propyl substituent of the trans-isomer is replaced by an ethoxy group the rate of solvolysis increases 200 fold. 

Solvolysis of the R,R and R,S isomers of 2-bromo-9-(l-X-ethyl)fluorenes, X = Cl, Br, I, or OBs, in 25% (v/v) acetonitrile in water has been studied with respect to rates of formation of elimination products and of substitution products (X = OH or NHCOMe).142 The parent 9-(l-X-ethyl)fluorenes and the 2,2/-dibromo-9-(l-X-ethyl)-fluorenes were also studied. Various effects of leaving group and of the presence of nucleophiles on the competition between the reactions were observed and the Bronsted equation was applied to the results for the elimination reactions. A related study of solvolysis of 9-(X-methyl)fluorenes, X = I, Br, or Bs, was also carried out, in which the Swain-Scott equation was applied to nucleophilic selectivities in the S 2 reactions.143... 

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