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Isotope effects in acid‐catalyzed aromatic hydrogen exchange
Author(s) -
Cox Robin A.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of physical organic chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.325
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1099-1395
pISSN - 0894-3230
DOI - 10.1002/poc.610040406
Subject(s) - chemistry , kinetic isotope effect , deuterium , reaction rate constant , protonation , catalysis , sulfuric acid , tritium , hydrogen , acid catalysis , benzene , inorganic chemistry , medicinal chemistry , computational chemistry , organic chemistry , kinetics , ion , physics , quantum mechanics , nuclear physics
Deuterium‐ or tritium‐substituted aromatics undergo isotope exchange in fairly concentrated aqueous sulfuric acid media. The rate constant for this process is complex, being composed of that for the slow electrophilic attack, and the isotope effect on the breakup of the Wheland intermediate. Using experimental rate constant data for both deuterium and tritium exchange on the same substrate, the excess acidity method and the Swain–Schaad relationship, true protonation rate constants and isotope effects have been separated out for several positions in several simple aromatic substrates. Most of the electrophilic attack rate constants are described by a Hammett‐type linear free energy relationship with a ρ + of − 6.5. The average observed deuterium isotope effect on Wheland intermediate breakup was 5.3. Using rate constants obtained at different temperatures, enthalpies and entropies of activation were also obtained for benzene, naphthalene and thiophene; the activation entropy averaged − 8 cal mol −1 K −1 . Some evidence was found for general acid catalysis at the higher acidities.