Thermodynamics of ester and orthoester formation from trifluoroacetic acid

Abstract

The equilibrium constant for the addition of sodium methoxide to methyl trifluoroacetate, in methanol as solvent, has been measured by 19F nmr, and is 7 M−1. From this was calculated an equilibrium constant, 2 × 10−4 M−1, for addition of methanol to the ester. The equilibrium constant for formation of methyl trifluoroacetate in aqueous solutions is 0.06 M−1. These results, with literature data, permit calculation of the free energies of formation in aqueous solution of orthotrifluoroacetic acid and its mono-, di-, and trimethyl esters. These in turn permit calculation of the standard free energy changes for addition of water and methanol to trifluoroacetic acid and its methyl ester. These combined with the analogous values for formic and acetic acids permit evaluation of ρ* values for these addition reactions. Linear plots are obtained if correction is made for steric effects, and the ρ* values are somewhat larger, 2.1–2.9, than was observed for the analogous carbonyl addition reactions.