Kinetics and Mechanism of the Anilinolysis of O-Ethyl Phenyl Phosphonochloridothioate in Acetonitrile

Kinetics and Mechanism of the Anilinolysis of O-Ethyl Phenyl Phosphonochloridothioate in Acetonitrile

The nucleophilic substitution reactions of O-ethyl phenyl phosphonochloridothioate with substituted anilines ($XC_6H_4NH_2$) and deuterated anilines ($XC_6H_4ND_2$) are kinetically investigated in acetonitrile at $55.0^{\circ}C$. The deuterium kinetic isotope effects (DKIEs) invariably increase from a secondary inverse DKIE ($k_H/k_D$ = 0.93) to a primary normal DKIE ($k_H/k_D$ = 1.28) as the substituent of nucleophile (X) changes from electron-donating to electron-withdrawing. These can be rationalized by the gradual transition state (TS) variation from a backside to frontside attack. A concerted $S_N2$ mechanism is proposed. A trigonal bipyramidal TS is proposed for a backside attack while a hydrogen-bonded, four-center-type TS is proposed for a frontside attack.