Kinetics and Mechanism of the Aminolysis of S-Aryl O-Ethyl Dithiocarbonates in Acetonitrile

Abstract

The aminolysis of S-aryl O-ethyl dithiocarbonates with benzylamines are studied in acetonitrile at -25.0 °C. The βX (βnuc) values are in the range 0.67-0.77 with a negative cross-interaction constant, ρXZ = -0.24, which are interpreted to indicate a concerted mechanism. The kinetic isotope effects involving deuterated benzylamine nucleophiles (XC6H4CH2ND2) are large, kH/kD = 1.41-1.97, suggesting that the N-H(D) bond is partially broken in the transition state by forming a hydrogen-bonded four-center cyclic structure. The concerted mechanism is enforced by the strong push provided by the EtO group which enhances the nucleofugalities of both benzylamine and arenethiolate from the putative zwitterionic tetrahedral intermediate.