THE TRANSMISSION OF POLAR EFFECTS: PART II. THE KINETICS OF ESTERIFICATION WITH DIAZODIPHENYLMETHANE AND THE IONIZATION OF 3-SUBSTITUTED ACRYLIC ACIDS

Abstract

The rate coefficients for the reaction with diazodiphenylmethane in ethanol, t-butyl alcohol, and ethyl acetate at 30° and the pKa values in water at 25° of fourteen 3-substituted acrylic acids have been determined. The effect of substitution is assessed by use of linear free energy relations. A definite incremental acid-strengthening effect solely due to cis-substitution is confirmed. This is not a "bulk" steric effect and is due solely to the orientation of substitution. The polar effect of a substituent is found to be approximately the same from the cis- or trans-position. An attempt is made to test the suggested mechanisms for the transmission of the polar effect. In the reactions studied the transmission of the polar effect in 3-substituted acrylic acid and ortho-substituted benzoic acids is approximately twice that of the meta- or para-substituted benzoic acids. This appears to be reasonably accommodated by a significant field effect.