Nucleophilicity and its parametrization

Abstract

The method of conjugate deviations based on the regression analysis has been suggested for construction of a new nucleophilicity scale. This method has been applied to a set of 28 nucleophiles participating in 47 physical and chemical processes described in literature. The two-parameter nucleophilicity scale obtained represents-in the parameter denoted as ND-the general tendency to form a bond to an electrophile predominantly on the basis of the orbital interaction and-in the parameter denoted as PD-the ability to interact with a centre similar to the proton (basicity). The linear correlation equation involving the ND, PD parameters and the charge appears to be distinctly better than the most significant relations used. The correlation dependences have the physico-chemical meaning. From the position of individual nucleophiles in the space of the ND and PD parameters, some general conclusions have been derived about the factors governing the reactivity of nucleophiles.