Tert-butyl cations

Besides the tert-butyl cation, we also succeeded in preparing and studying the related isopropyl and the terf-amyl cations. The isopropyl cation was of particular relevance. 

Figure 6.1, H NMR spectra of (a) the tert-butyl cation [trimethylcarbenium ion, (CH jj-jC ] [b) the tert-amyl cation [dimethyletbylcarbenium ion, (CH3)3C -C2H 5] and (c) the isopropyl cation [dimethylcarbenium ion, (CH3)2C Hj (60 MHz, in SbF5 S02CIF solution, —60°C).

Figure 9.2. Carbon Is photoelectron spectrum Is core-hole-state spectra for the 2-norbornyl cation of tert-butyl cation and Clark s simulated spectra for the classical and nonclassical ions.

Step 3 Capture of tert butyl cation by chloride ion... 

Like tert butyloxonium ion tert butyl cation is an intermediate along the reaction pathway It is however a relatively unstable species and its formation by dissociation of the alkyloxonium ion is endothermic Step 2 is the slowest step m the mechanism and has the highest activation energy Figure 4 8 shows a potential energy diagram for this step... 

The transition state is closer m energy to the carbocation (tert butyl cation) so Its structure more closely resembles the carbocation than it resembles tert butyloxonium ion The transition state has considerable carbocation character meaning that a significant degree of positive charge has developed at carbon... 

The properties of tert butyl cation can be understood by focusing on its structure which IS shown m Figure 4 9 With only six valence electrons which are distributed among three coplanar ct bonds the positively charged carbon is sp hybridized The unhybridized 2p orbital that remains on the positively charged carbon contains no elec Irons Its axis is perpendicular to the plane of the bonds connecting that carbon to the three methyl groups... 

FIGURE 4 8 Potential en ergy diagram for dissocia tion of tert butyloxonium ion to tert butyl cation... 

FIGURE 4 9 tert Butyl cation (a) The positively charged carbon is sp hybridized Each methyl group IS attached to the positively charged carbon by a cr bond and these three bonds he in the same plane (b) The sp hybridized car bon has an empty 2p orbital the axis of which is perpen dicular to the plane of the carbon atoms... 

FIGURE 4 10 Potential en ergy diagram for reaction of tert butyl cation with chio ride anion... 

The transition state for this step involves partial bond formation between tert butyl cation and chloride ion... 

FIGURE 4 11 Combi nation of tert butyl cation and chloride anion to give tert butyl chloride In phase overlap between a vacant p orbital of (CHbIbC and a filled p orbital of Cr gives a C—Cl (T bond... 

Carbocations are classified according to their degree of substitution at the positively charged carbon The positive charge is on a primary carbon m CH3CH2" a secondary car bon m (CH3)2CH" and a tertiary carbon m (CH3)3C Ethyl cahon is a primary carbocation isopropyl cation a secondary carbocation and tert butyl cation a tertiary carbocation... 

Methyl cation Ethyl cation (primary) Isopropyl cation (secondary) tert Butyl cation (tertiary)... 

The major difference between the two mechanisms is the second step The second step m the reaction of tert butyl alcohol with hydrogen chloride is the ummolecular dis sociation of tert butyloxonium ion to tert butyl cation and water Heptyloxonium ion however instead of dissociating to an unstable primary carbocation reacts differently It IS attacked by bromide ion which acts as a nucleophile We can represent the transition state for this step as... 

These common features suggest that carbocations are key intermediates m alcohol dehydra tions just as they are m the reaction of alcohols with hydrogen halides Figure 5 6 portrays a three step mechanism for the acid catalyzed dehydration of tert butyl alcohol Steps 1 and 2 describe the generation of tert butyl cation by a process similar to that which led to its for matron as an intermediate m the reaction of tert butyl alcohol with hydrogen chloride... 

We can extend the general principles of electrophilic addition to acid catalyzed hydration In the first step of the mechanism shown m Figure 6 9 proton transfer to 2 methylpropene forms tert butyl cation This is followed m step 2 by reaction of the car bocation with a molecule of water acting as a nucleophile The aUcyloxomum ion formed m this step is simply the conjugate acid of tert butyl alcohol Deprotonation of the alkyl oxonium ion m step 3 yields the alcohol and regenerates the acid catalyst... 

The two dimers of (CH3)2C=CH2 are formed by the mechanism shown m Figure 6 16 In step 1 protonation of the double bond generates a small amount of tert butyl cation m equilibrium with the alkene The carbocation is an electrophile and attacks a second molecule of 2 methylpropene m step 2 forming a new carbon-carbon bond and generating a carbocation This new carbocation loses a proton m step 3 to form a mixture of 2 4 4 tnmethyl 1 pentene and 2 4 4 tnmethyl 2 pentene... 

Both compounds react by an S l mechanism and their relative rates reflect their acti vation energies for carbocation formation Because the allylic chloride is more reactive we reason that it ionizes more rapidly because it forms a more stable carbocation Struc turally the two carbocations differ m that the allylic carbocation has a vinyl substituent on Its positively charged carbon m place of one of the methyl groups of tert butyl cation... 

Figure 12 7 illustrates attack on the benzene ring by tert butyl cation (step 1) and subsequent formation of tert butylbenzene by loss of a proton from the cyclohexadienyl cation intermediate (step 2)... 

Step 1 Once generated by the reaction of tert butyl chloride and aluminum chloride tert butyl cation attacks the TT electrons of benzene and a carbon-carbon bond is formed... 

Here the electrophile is tert butyl cation formed by a hydride migration that accompa nies ionization of the carbon-chlorine bond... 

The tert butyl group is cleaved as the corresponding carbocation Loss of a proton from tert butyl cation converts it to 2 methylpropene Because of the ease with which a tert butyl group is cleaved as a carbocation other acidic reagents such as trifluoroacetic acid may also be used... 

Carbinolamines are formed by nucleophilic addition of an amine to a carbonyl group and are intermediates in the for mation of imines and enamines Carbocation (Section 4 8) Positive ion in which the charge re sides on carbon An example is tert butyl cation (CH3)3C Carbocations are unstable species that though they cannot normally be isolated are believed to be intermediates in certain reactions... 

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