Structure and reactivity in the hydrolyses of aliphatic carboxylic acid esters and chlorides

For hexanoic acid and its seven isomers, relative rates have been determined for acid catalysed esterification with methanol, and compared with those for saponification of the methyl esters. A good correlation between logarithms of relative rates for the two reactions is obtained, and it is suggested that the eight isomers provide a test set of compounds in which steric effects alone act on reactivity at the acyl carbon. A full set of steric parameters ( $E_{\rm s}^\prime$ values) are presented. Rates of solvolyses of the acid chlorides of the isomers have been determined conductometrically in 3:1 wt:wt acetonitrile water. Logarithms of relative rates show a poor correlation with $E_{\rm s}^\prime$ , and, taking into account the solvent dependence of the rates, the pattern excludes both rate‐limiting formation of a tetrahedral intermediate and rate‐limiting dissociation of chloride to form acylium ions. The remaining possibilities, a concerted process (A N D   N ‡ ) and rapid reversible formation of a hydrate followed by rate‐limiting dissociation of chloride (A N  + D   N ‡ ) are considered. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.