• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.1525-1529
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• 2013

Pseudo-first-order rate constants ($k_{obsd}$) have been measured spectrophotometrically for the nucleophilic substitution reactions of 2-pyridyl thionobenzoate (5b) with alkali-metal ethoxides (EtOM, $M^+=Li^+$, $Na^+$, $K^+$, and 18-crown-6-ether complexed $K^+$) in anhydrous ethanol at $25.0{\pm}0.1^{\circ}C$. The plots of $k_{obsd}$ vs. $[EtOM]_o$ curve upward regardless of the nature of the $M^+$ ions, while those of $k_{obsd}/[EtO^-]_{eq}$ vs. $[EtO^-]_{eq}$ are linear with a positive intercept. Dissection of $k_{obsd}$ into $k_{EtO^-}$ and $k_{EtOM}$ (i.e., the second-order rate constants for the reactions with the dissociated $EtO^-$ and ion-paired EtOM, respectively) has revealed that the ion-paired EtOM is more reactive than the dissociated $EtO^-$, and $M^+$ ions catalyze the reactions in the order $K^+$ < $Na^+$ < $Li^+$ < 18C6-complexed $K^+$. The plot of log $k_{EtOM}$ vs. $1/r_{Stokes}$ results in an excellent linear correlation, indicating that the reactions are catalyzed by the solvated $M^+$ ions but not by the bare $M^+$ ions. The reactions of 5b with EtOM have been concluded to proceed through a six-membered cyclic TS, in which the solvated $M^+$ ions increase the electrophilicity of the reaction center and the nucleofugality of the leaving group.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.1789-1793
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• 2014

Pseudo-first-order rate constants ($k_{obsd}$) have been measured spectrophotometrically for the reactions of 5-nitro-8-quinolyl nicotinate (4) and 5-nitro-8-quinolyl isonicotinate (5) with alkali metal ethoxides (EtOM; M = K, Na and Li) in anhydrous ethanol at $25.0{\pm}0.1^{\circ}C$. The plots of $k_{obsd}$ vs. [EtOM] curve slightly upward for the reactions with EtOK and EtONa but are linear for the reactions with EtOLi and for those with EtOK in the presence of 18-crown-6-ether. Dissection of $k_{obsd}$ into $k_{EtO^-}$ and $k_{EtOM}$ (i.e., the second-order rate constants for the reactions with the dissociated $EtO^-$ and ion-paired EtOM, respectively) has revealed that the reactivity increases in the order $EtO^-{\approx}EtOLi$ < EtOK < EtONa for the reactions of 4 and EtOLi < $EtO^-$ < EtOK < EtONa for the reactions of 5. Comparison of the kinetic results for the reactions of 4 and 5 with those reported previously for the corresponding reactions of 5-nitro-8-quinolyl benzoate (2) and picolinate (3) has revealed that the esters possessing a pyridine ring (i.e., 3-5) are significantly more reactive than the benzoate ester 2 due to the presence of the electronegative N atom (e.g., 2 << 3 < 4 < 5). It has been concluded that $M^+$ ion catalyzes the reactions of 3-5 by increasing the electrophilicity of the reaction center through a five-membered cyclic transition state (TS) for the reaction of 3 and via a four-membered cyclic TS for the reactions of 4 and 5.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.2929-2933
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• 2010

Pseudo-first-order rate constants ($k_{obsd}$) have been measured for nucleophilic substitution reactions of 2-pyridyl benzoate 5 with alkali metal ethoxides (EtOM, M = Li, Na, K) in anhydrous ethanol. The plots of $k_{obsd}$ vs. $[EtOM]_o$ are curved upwardly but linear in the excess presence of 18-crown-6-ether (18C6) with significant decreased $k_{obsd}$ values in the reaction with EtOK. The $k_{obsd}$ value for the reaction of 5 with a given EtONa concentration decreases steeply upon addition of 15-crown-5-ether (15C5) to the reaction medium up to ca. [15C5]/$[EtONa]_o$ = 1, and remains nearly constant thereafter, indicating that $M^+$ ions catalyze the reaction in the absence of the complexing agents. Dissection $k_{obsd}$ into $k_{EtO^-}$- and $k_{EtOM}$, i.e., the second-order rate constants for the reaction with the dissociated $EtO^-$ and the ion-paired EtOM, respectively has revealed that ion-paired EtOM is 3.2 - 4.6 times more reactive than dissociated $EtO^-$. It has been concluded that $M^+$ ions increase the electrophilicity of the reaction center through a 6-membered cyclic transition state. This idea has been examined from the corresponding reactions of 4-pyridyl benzoate 6, which cannot form such a 6-membered cyclic transition state.