摘要:
The solvolysis of 1-alkyl-1-chloro-1-(4-methyl)phenylmethanes (4a-d) in aqueous acetone, aqueous ethanol, aqueous methanol and ethanol-trifluoroethanol was studied. Grunwald-Winstein-type correlation analysis using the Y-BnCl scale suggests significant nucleophilic solvent intervention in the ease of 1-chloro-1-(4-methyl)phenylethane (4a). Increasing bulkiness of the 1-alkyl substituent from methyl (4a) to ethyl (4b), to isopropyl (4c) and to tert-butyl (4d) resulted in a gradual change to limiting S(N)1 mechanisms. The observed excellent linear correlations with Y-BnCl and the good solubility in high-water-containing binary solvents made 4d a suitable reference standard For deriving more Y-BnCl values. A positive azide salt effect was realized in the solvolysis of 4a but not 4d. A small decrease in the beta-deuterium kinetic Isotope effect from 4a to 1-chloro-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)propane (5) suggested the presence of additional stabilization of the benzylic cationic transition state. However, no relationship between k(CH3)/k(CD3) and the solvent effect was found. The superiority of employing the Y-BnCl scale over the combination of Y-Cl and I scales in the mehanistic study was observed. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.