The nature of the transition state in diarylmethyl cation – nucleophile combination reactions as probed by secondary α-deuterium isotope effects

Abstract

Transition-state structures for the carbocation–nucleophile combination reactions of (4-substituted-4'- methoxydiphenyl)methyl cations with water, chloride, and bromide ions in acetonitrile–water mixtures have been investigated by measuring the secondary α-deuterium kinetic and equilibrium isotope effects. Rate constants in the combination direction were measured with laser flash photolysis. Equilibrium constants were measured for the water reaction by a comparison method in moderately concentrated sulfuric acid solutions, for the bromide reaction via the observation of reversible combination, and for the chloride reaction from the ratio of the combination rate constant and the rate constant for the ionization of the diarylmethyl chloride product. The fraction of bond making in the transition state has been calculated as the ratio log (kinetic isotope effect):log (equilibrium isotope effect). For the water reaction, there is 50–65% bond making in the transition state; this is also true for cations that are many orders of magnitude less reactive. The same conclusions, 50–65% bond formation in the transition state independent of reactivity, have previously been made in correlations of log kw vs. log KR. Thus, two quite different measures of transition structure provide the same result. The kH:kD values for the halide combinations in 100% acetonitrile are within experimental error of unity. This is consistent with suggestions that these reactions are occurring with diffusional encounter as the rate-limiting step. Addition of water has a dramatic retarding effect on the halide reactions, with rate constants decreasing steadily with increased water content. Small inverse kinetic isotope effects are observed (in 20% acetonitrile:80% water) indicating that carbon—halogen bond formation is rate-limiting. Comparison of the kinetic and equilibrium isotope effects shows ~25 and ~40% bond formation in the transition states for the reactions with bromide and chloride, respectively.Key words: carbocation, isotope effect, transition state, halide.