Nucleophilic Substitution Reactions of Y-Substituted-Phenyl Benzoates with Potassium Ethoxide in Anhydrous Ethanol: Reaction Mechanism and Role of K⁺ Ion

Nucleophilic Substitution Reactions of Y-Substituted-Phenyl Benzoates with Potassium Ethoxide in Anhydrous Ethanol: Reaction Mechanism and Role of K⁺ Ion

Pseudo-first-order rate constants ($k_{obsd}$) have been measured spectrophotometrically for the reactions of Y-substituted-phenyl benzoates (5a-j) with potassium ethoxide (EtOK) in anhydrous ethanol at $25.0{\pm}0.1^{\circ}C$. The plots of $k_{obsd}$ vs. [EtOK] curve upward regardless of the electronic nature of the substituent Y in the leaving group. Dissection of $k_{obsd}$ into the second-order rate constants for the reactions with the dissociated $EtO^-$ and ion-paired EtOK (i.e., $k_{EtO^-}$ and $k_{EtOK}$, respectively) has revealed that the ion-paired EtOK is more reactive than the dissociated $EtO^-$. The Br${\phi}$nsted-type plots for the reactions with the dissociated $EtO^-$ and ion-paired EtOK exhibit highly scattered points with ${\beta}_{lg}$ = -$0.5{\pm}0.1$. The Hammett plots correlated with ${\sigma}^o$ constants result in excellent linear correlations, indicating that no negative charge develops on the O atom of the leaving Y-substituted-phenoxide ion in transition state. Thus, it has been concluded that the reactions with the dissociated $EtO^-$ and ion-paired EtOK proceed through a stepwise mechanism, in which departure of the leaving group occurs after the RDS, and that $K^+$ ion catalyzes the reactions by increasing the electrophilicity of the reaction center through a four-membered cyclic TS structure.