Kinetics and mechanisms of the reaction of 2,4,6-trinitrocumene and 2,4,6-trinitroethylbenzene with 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine in N,N-dimethylformamide solvent

Abstract

The reaction of tetramethylguanidine (TMG) with trinitrocumene (TNC) and trinitroethylbenzene (TNEB) in dimethylformamide solvent has been studied with respect to products and kinetics. For TNC only σ-complex formation with the benzene ring was observed, for which the equilibrium constant, rate constants, and activation parameters were measured. For TNEB, both σ-complex formation and proton transfer from the σ-carbon atom of the ethyl group were observed. The equilibrium constants, rate constants, and activation parameters were separately determined for each reaction and a primary deuterium isotope effect, kH/kD = 13.6 (at 20 °C), was found for the proton transfer. The reaction parameters are compared to those for proton transfer from TNT to tetramethylguanidine in DMF solvent.