The effect of solvent on reactions of p-nitrophenyl acetate with alicyclic secondary amines and with anionic nucleophiles in MeCN-H2O mixtures of varying compositions

Abstract

Second-order rate constants have been measured spectrophotometrically for the reaction of p-nitrophenyl acetate (PNPA) with morpholine, piperazine and piperidine in MeCN-H2O mixtures of varying compositions. The rate of the present aminolysis decreases upon additions of MeCN into H2O up to near 30-40 mole % MeCN and remains nearly constant upon further additions of MeCN. The reaction of PNPA with anionic nucleophiles, such as HO, p-chlorophenoxide and butane-2,3-dione monoximate, has also exhibited two distinguishable reactivity zones. However, the reactivity trend for the anionic nucleophiles is quite different from the one obtained for the amine system, e.g. an initial rate decrease in the H2O-rich region followed by an increasing rate trend upon further additions of MeCN in the MeCN-rich region. The rate behaviors shown by the amine system in the MeCN-rich and by the anionic system in the H2O-rich region are unexpected based on the Hughes-Ingold rules. The present unusual rate trends have been attributed to changes in the solvent structure and pK of the nucleophiles upon the addition of MeCN into H2O. The effect of solvent appears to be more significant for the TS than the GS, and the TS structure is considered to become tighter in the higher MeCN concentration.