Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution Reactions in Dipolar Aprotic Solvents: The Remarkable Effect of Trifluoromethyl Group on the Reactivity of Nitrophenyl Ethers with Nucleophiles.
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Date
2019-01-17
Authors
Isanbor, C.
Babatunde, A.I.
Journal Title
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Publisher
journals.chemsociety.org.ng
Abstract
Rate constants are reported for the reactions of 4-phenoxy-3-nitrobenzotrifluoride 3c, 2-phenoxy-5-
nitrobenzotrifluoride 4c and 1-phenoxy-2,4-dinitrobenzene 5c activated by trifluoromethyl (CF3) or
nitro (NO2) groups with n-butylamine, pyrrolidine and piperidine in DMSO. The results are compared
with results reported previously for same reactants and with the more strongly ring-activated
compounds 4-phenoxy-3,5-dinitrobenzotrifluoride 1c and 2-phenoxy-3,5-dinitrobenzotrifluoride 2c in
acetonitrile. A change in reaction medium from acetonitrile to DMSO leads to a reduction in values of
kAm/k-1 as the proton-transfer from zwitterionic intermediates to catalysing amine becomes less
thermodynamically favourable. Overall, the reactivity order is 5c > 3c> 4c and decreasing ringactivation in the 1-phenoxy compounds 1c - 5c leads to lower values of kAm/k–1 resulting in greater
susceptibility to base catalysis. Specific steric effects leading to rate-retardation, is noted for the orthoCF3 group. The higher reactivity of para-CF3 group in compounds 3c compared to 4c has been
attributed partly to the more effective polar hyperconjugative activation by the CF3 group in 3c and to a
possible participation of unfavourable electrostatic repulsion for the ortho-CF3 group between the
electronegative fluorine atoms in 4c and the incoming nucleophiles.
Description
Keywords
Research Subject Categories::NATURAL SCIENCES::Chemistry::Physical chemistry::Kinetics , Trifluoromethyl group , Proton transfer mechanism , Stereoelectronic effects , Nucleophilic aromatic substitution
Citation
Isanbor, C., & Babatunde, A. I. (2019). Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution Reactions in Dipolar Aprotic Solvents: The Remarkable Effect of Trifluoromethyl Group on the Reactivity of Nitrophenyl Ethers with Nucleophiles. Journal of Chemical Society of Nigeria, 44(1).