Thermal motion of tert-butyl groups III. tert-Butyl substituents in aromatic hydrocarbons, the view from the bottom of the well.

The rigidity of the tert-butyl group (TBG) as a substituent in aromatic hydrocarbons is investigated, with a modified Hirshfeld test of anisotropic displacement parameters (ADPs) as a primary criterion. Four new structures are analyzed, along with low-temperature studies of a previously published crowded supermesityl dimer; three of the five structures meet the primary test. Most of the TBGs meet the Hirshfeld test at 100 K, and the ADPs are improved by omitting low-order data in the final refinement. The three most precise structures yield a wide variation in libration amplitudes (and in estimated rotation barriers) for 13 unique TBGs. A similar range of values is found in analyses of structures in the Cambridge Crystallographic Database. The libration amplitudes are calculated with the program THMA14C, with each TBG as an attached rigid group (ARG). Packing analysis suggests that large ADPs, especially for some individual TBG methyl groups, correspond to voids in the crystal. Published barriers to TBG reorientation, determined by solid-state NMR spin-lattice relaxation methods, for six related crystalline compounds are compared with barriers calculated from their crystal structure data.

Recent advances in our mechanistic understanding of S(N)V reactions.

Nucleophilic vinylic substitution (S(N)V), in which a leaving group such as halogen is replaced by a carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, or other nucleophile, is an important synthetic tool. It generates compounds with a carbon- or heteroatom-substituted carbon-carbon double bond, such as vinyl ethers, enamines, a variety of heterocyclic systems, and intermediates to pharmaceutically important compounds. The S(N)V reaction has many mechanistic variants, which depend on the substituents, nucleophile, leaving group, and solvent, among other factors. Among these mechanisms, the "addition-elimination" S(N)V route is the most important to synthetic chemists. S(N)V reactions are involved in several biological processes, notably (i) in the inactivation of proteases, (ii) in intermediates of herbicide metabolism, and (iii) in the formation of mutagenic intermediates by reaction of glutathione with the environmental pollutant trichloroethylene. A variant involving a tetrahedral intermediate was found in the enzymatic transfer of an enolpyruvyl group of phosphoenolpyruvate. The main S(N)V mechanism was previously analyzed in terms of a variable transition state with perpendicular nucleophilic attack. Electron-withdrawing groups Y and Y' in the beta position adjacent to the C(alpha) reaction site increase the nucleophilic attack rate; the retention of stereochemistry was mostly ascribed to formation of carbanionic intermediate 1, in which internal rotation is slower than nucleofuge expulsion (k2). As predicted, poor nucleofuges and high activation led to partial or complete stereoconvergence, and an intramolecular element effect in polyhaloethylenes gave competition ratios, kF/kBr < 1. Evidence for a zwitterionic intermediate comes from amine-catalyzed substitutions with amines. The mechanistic spectrum investigated is wide in terms of rate constants, electron-withdrawing groups, nucleophiles, leaving groups, and solvents. However, the two extremes, that is, the very slightly activated systems where in-plane invertive substitution is feasible and conversely the highly activated systems carrying poor nucleofuges where the intermediate may be observable and kinetics examined, remained almost unexplored for a long time. In this Account, we describe the progress during the last two decades in these areas. Computations on low-reactivity systems showed that the in-plane invertive single-step nucleophilic sigma attack can have a lower barrier than the pi-perpendicular retentive attack. A kBr/kCl > 1 could be deduced for the H2C=CHX (X = Cl, Br) system. Several inverted substitution-cyclizations or inverted ring openings were observed. Alkenyl iodonium salts with superb nucleofuges, showed in-plane substitutions by various nucleophiles. In parallel, we demonstrated that several highly activated systems carrying poor nucleofuges enabled a direct detection of the intermediate 1 when attacked by strong nucleophiles. Poor correlation between the equilibrium constants K1(RS) for RS- attack and pKa(CH2YY') indicates large nucleofuge steric effects (SPr > SMe > OMe >> H). Rate and equilibrium constants for RS- attack as a function of YY' also correlate poorly owing to differences in intrinsic barriers caused by different resonance effects of YY'. The expulsion of either the nucleofuge (k2) or the nucleophile (k(-1)) from 1 was analyzed with respect to several factors. Challenges still remain, including acquiring experimental data for unactivated systems and observing an intermediate carrying a good nucleofuge.

Role of negative hyperconjugation and anomeric effects in the stabilization of the intermediate in SNV reactions.

The role of negative hyperconjugation and anomeric and polar effects in stabilizing the XZHCbetaCalphaYY'- intermediates in SNV reactions was studied computationally by DFT methods. Destabilizing steric effects are also discussed. The following ions were studied: X = CH3O, CH3S, CF3CH2O and Y = Y' = Z = H (7b-7d), Y = Y' = H, Z = CH3O, CH3S, CF3CH2O (7e-7i), YY' = Meldrum's acid-like moiety (Mu), Z = H, (8b-8d), and YY' = Mu, Z = CH3O, CH3S, CF3CH2O (8e-8i). The electron-withdrawing Mu substituent at Calpha stabilizes considerably the intermediates and allows their accumulation. The hyperconjugation ability (HCA) (i.e., the stabilization due to 2p(Calpha) --> sigma*(Cbeta-X) interaction) in 8b-8d follows the order (for X, kcal/mol) CH3S (8.5) > CF3CH2O (7.6) approximately CH3O (7.5). The HCA in 8b-8d is significantly smaller than that in 7b-7d due to charge delocalization in Mu in the former. The calculated solvent (1:1 DMSO/H2O) effect is small. The stability of disubstituted ions (7e-7i and 8e-8i) is larger than that of monosubstituted ions due to additional stabilization by negative hyperconjugation and an anomeric effect. However, steric repulsion between the geminal Cbeta substituents destabilizes these ions. The steric effects are larger when one or both substituents are CH3S. The anomeric stabilization (the energy difference between the anti,anti and gauche,gauche conformers) in the disubstituted anions contributes only a small fraction to their total stabilization. Its order (for the following X/Z pairs, kcal/mol) is CF3CH2O/CH3S (8i, 4.9) > CF3CH2O/CH3O (8h, 3.9) > CH3O/CH3S (8g, 3.3) > CH3S/CH3S (8f, 2.9) > CH3O/CH3O (8e, 2.4). Significantly larger anomeric effects of ca. 8-9 kcal/mol are calculated for the corresponding conjugate acids.

Enols and thioenols of substituted cyanomonothiocarbonylmalonamides: structures, enolization vs. thioenolization, equilibria and conformations.

Condensation of organic isothiocyanates with cyanoacetamides gave 24 N- and N'-substituted cyanomonothiocarbonylmalonamides in different tautomeric ratios i.e., amide-thioamides (TMA)R3NHCSCH(CN)CONR1R2 (12), thioamide-enols of amides (E) R3NHCSC(CN)=C(OH)NR1R2 (11)or amide-thioenols (TE) R3NHC(SH)=C(CN)CONR1R2 (13). The equilibrium constants (K(thioenol) =[TE]/[TMA] and K(enol) = [E]/[TMA]) in solution depend on R1, R2, R3 and the solvent. The %(E + TE)for NR1R2 increases in the order NMe2 < NHMe < NH2. The (K(thioenol) + K(enol)) in various solvents follows the order CCl4 > CDCl3 > C6D6 > THF-d8 > (CD3)2CO > CD3CN > DMF-d7 > DMSO-d6. The delta(OH) values are 16.46-17.43 and the delta(SH) values are 3.87-5.26 ppm in non polar solvents, e.g.,CDCl3 and 6.34-6.97 ppm in THF-d8 and CD3CN. An intramolecular O-H...O hydrogen bond leads to the preferred Z-configuration of the enols, and an N-H...O bond stabilizes the thioenols' preferred E-configuration with a non-bonded SH in solution. X-Ray crystallography revealed that systems with high %(E + TE) in solution mostly display the enols 11 in the solid state and systems with lower %(E +TE) in solution display structure 12. The differences in delta(OH), delta(NH), K(enol) and crystallographic data for analogous enol and thioenol systems are compared.

A rich array of reactions of Cyanomonothiocarbonylmalonamides RNHCSCH(CN)CONHR' and their Thioenols RNHC(SH)=C(CN)CONHR'1.

The thioenols derived from cyanomonothiocarbonylmalonamides and a cyanodithiocarbonylmalonamide were found to be very reactive species. They react under a variety of conditions such as crystallization, reaction with several carbonyl compounds, and reactions with another thioenol molecule to give a variety of products, mostly heterocycles, including substituted 2,3-dihydroisothiazole-3-ones and 3-thione, 2-substituted methylenethiazoles, 3,4-dihydro-1,3-thiazine-4-ones and 4-thiones, divinyl sulfides, a 1,2-dithiolane radical, and a 3,7-diaza[3.3.0]bicyclooctane derivative. Mechanisms suggested for these reactions include radical mechanisms, nucleophilic substitutions, and condensations.

Oxa-ene reaction of enols of amides with 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione.

The reaction of 16 enols of amides with 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazoline-1,3-dione gave open chain adducts rather than the [2 + 2] cycloadducts with a hemiaminal moiety, both in solid state and in solution. This assignment is based on X-ray crystallography, (1)H and (13)C NMR data, and IR spectra. The suggested mechanism involves hydroxyl proton loss in a formal oxa-ene reaction. Mechanistic details and a possible alternative are discussed.

The first solid enols of anhydrides. Structure, properties, and enol/anhydride equilibria(1).

Reaction of beta-methylglutaconic anhydride with NaOMe followed by reaction with methyl or phenyl chloroformate gave the corresponding O-methoxy (and O-phenoxy) carbonylation derivatives. Reaction of the anhydride with MgCl2/pyridine, followed by methyl chloroformate gave C-methoxycarbonylation at C3 of the anhydride. The product (4) was previously suggested by calculation to be the enol of the anhydride 5 and this is confirmed by X-ray crystallography (bond lengths: C-OH, 1.297 A; C1C2 1.388 A; HO...O=C(OMe) distance 2.479 A) making it the first solid enol of an anhydride. In CDCl3, CD3CN, or C6D6 solution it displays the OH as a broad signal at ca. 15 ppm, suggesting a hydrogen bond with the CO2Me group. NICS calculations indicate that 4 is nonaromatic. With D2O in CDCl3 both the OH and the C5H protons exchange rapidly the H for D. An isomeric anhydride 5a of 5 is formed in equilibrium with 4 in polar solvents. In solution, anhydride(s)/enol equilibria are rapidly established with Kenol of 6.40 (C6D6, 298 K), 0.52 (CD3CN, 298 K), 9.8 (CDCl3, 298 K), 22.8 (CDCl3, 240 K), and decreasing Kenol in CDCl3:CD3CN mixtures with the increase in percent of CD3CN. The percentage of the rearranged anhydride in CDCl3:(CD3)2CO increases with the increased percent of (CD3)2CO. In DMSO-d6 and DMF-d7 the observed species are mainly the conjugated base 4- and 5a. Deuterium effects on the delta(13C) values were determined. An analogous C2-OH enol of anhydride 15 substituted by 3-CO2Me and 4-OCO2Me groups was prepared. Its structure was confirmed by X-ray crystallography (CO bond length 1.298 A, O...O distance 2.513 A); delta(OH) = 12.04-13.22 ppm in CDCl3, THF-d8, and CD3CN, and Kenol = > or = 100, 7.7, and 3.4 respectively. In DMSO-d6 enol 15 ionizes to its conjugate base. Substantial upfield shifts of the apparent delta("OH") proton on diluting the enol solutions are ascribed to the interaction of the H+ formed with the traces of water in the solvent to give H3O+, which gives the alleged "OH proton" signal.

Isomeric solid enols on ring- and amide-carbonyls of substituted 2-carbanilido-1,3-indandiones.

Both isomeric enols on ring carbonyl (5b) and on amide carbonyl (6b) derived from N-p-methoxyphenyl-2-carbamido-1,3-indandione (4b) were isolated, and their X-ray structures were determined. X-ray diffraction of the N-o,p-dimethoxy analogue indicated a disorder ascribed to the presence of a 6:4 mixture of 5c and 6c. Calculation (B3LYP/6-31+G*) gave good agreement with observed geometries. The calculated energies indicated that enols 6 are more stable by <1 kcal/mol than enols 5 and much more stable than amides 4.

Dialkoxyphosphinyl-substituted enols of carboxamides.

Reactions of isocyanates XNCO (e.g., X = p-An, Ph, i-Pr) with (MeO)2P(=O)CH2CO2R [R = Me, CF3CH2, (CF3)2CH] gave 15 formal "amides" (MeO)2P(=O)CH(CO2R)CONHX (6/7), and with (CF3CH2O)2P(=O)CH2CO2R [R = Me, CF3CH2] they gave eight analogous amide/enols 17/18. X-ray crystallography of two 6/7, R = (CF3)2CH systems revealed Z-enols of amides structures (MeO)2P(=O)C(CO2CH(CF3)2)=C(OH)NHX 7 where the OH is cis and hydrogen bonded to the O=P(OMe)2 group. The solid phosphonates with R = Me, CF3CH2 have the amide 6 structure. The structures in solution were investigated by 1H, 13C, 19F, and 31P NMR spectra. They depend strongly on the substituent R and the solvent and slightly on the N-substituent X. All systems displayed signals for the amide and the E- and Z-isomers. The low-field two delta(OH) and two delta(NH) values served as a probe for the stereochemistry of the enols. The lower field delta(OH) is not always that for the more abundant enol. The % enol, presented as K(enol), was determined by 1H, 19F, and 31P NMR spectra, increases according to the order for R, Me < CF3CH2 < (CF3)2CH, and decreases according to the order of solvents, CCl4 > CDCl3 approximately THF-d8 > CD3CN >DMSO-d6. In DMSO-d6, the product is mostly only the amide, but a few enols with fluorinated ester groups were observed. The Z-isomers are more stable for all the enols 7 with E/Z ratios of 0.31-0.75, 0.15-0.33, and 0.047-0.16 when R = Me, CF3CH2, and (CF3)2CH, respectively, and for compounds 18, R = Me, whereas the E-isomers are more stable than the Z-isomers. Comparison with systems where the O=P(OMe)2 is replaced by a CO2R shows mostly higher K(enol) values for the O=P(OMe)2-substituted systems. A linear correlation exists between delta(OH)[Z-enols] activated by two ester groups and delta(OH)[E-enols] activated by phosphonate and ester groups. Compounds (MeO)2P(=O)CH(CN)CONHX show

Enols of substituted cyanomalonamides.

Twenty open-chain mono-, di-, and trialkyl and aryl-N-substituted cyanomalonamides R2R1NCOCH(CN)CONHR3 were prepared. In solution, signals for both amide and a single enol are mostly observed, despite the potential for E and Z isomeric enols. The equilibrium (KEnol) values between the amides and the enols were determined in different solvents by NMR spectra. They decrease on increasing the polarity of the solvent in the order CDCl3 approximately C6D6>THF-d8>(CD3)2CO>CD3CN>DMF-d7>DMSO-d6. For the R1R2NCOCH(CN)CONHR3 system when R1=R2=H, Me or R1=H, R2=Me, KEnol for R3 follows the order: C6F5>Ph>or=An>or= i-Pr>or= t-Bu, and for R1, R2:H, H>Me, H>Me, Me in all solvents. A unique feature is the appreciable % enol in DMSO-d6 when R1=R2=H, in contrast with enol systems with other electron-withdrawing groups (EWGs). Calculations (B3LYP/6-31G**) corroborate the higher KEnol values for less alkyl-substituted systems, showing that in the most stable conformer when R1=H, R2=R3=Me the N-hydrogens are closer to the CN group. The order of promoting substituents for enol of amide formation is CONH2>CO2CH2CF3>CO2Me>CONHMe. The solid-state structures of the isolated species, determined by X-ray crystallography, were either amides or enols, and a higher KEnol(CDCl3) value does not ensure a solid enol structure. In no system were both solid species isolated. The X-ray structures of the enols were temperature-dependent. In most cases, the difference between the O-H and O...H bond lengths at low temperature were appreciable, but they become closer at the higher temperature. Similar tendency for either the C=C/C-C or the C-O/C=O bonds was observed. This is ascribed to a hydrogen shift between two regioisomeric enols in an asymmetric double-well potential, which becomes faster at a higher temperature. Calculations show that the enol structures are nonsymmetrical, resembling the lower temperature structures, even when they are chemically symmetrical, but the energy differences between the two regioisomers are <1 kcal. The hydrogen bonds in the enol moiety are strong, with O...O distances <2.45 A, and are resonance-assisted hydrogen bonds. IR spectra in solution and the solid state qualitatively corroborate the NMR and X-ray structure determination.

Spectroscopic and kinetic evidence for an accumulating intermediate in an SNV reaction with amine nucleophiles. Reaction of methyl beta-methylthio-alpha-nitrocinnamate with piperidine and morpholine.

A spectroscopic and kinetic study of the reaction of methyl beta-methylthio-alpha-nitrocinnamate (4-SMe) with morpholine, piperidine, and hydroxide ion in 50% DMSO/50% water (v/v) at 20 degrees C is reported. The reactions of 4-SMe with piperidine in a pH range from 10.12 to 11.66 and those with morpholine at pH 12.0 are characterized by two kinetic processes when monitored at lambdamax (364 nm) of the substrate, but by only one process when monitored at lambdamax (388) nm of the product. The rate constants obtained at 388 nm were the same as those determined for the slower of the two processes at 364 nm. These rate constants refer to product formation, whereas the faster process observed at 364 nm is associated with the loss of reactant to form an intermediate. In contrast, for the reaction of 4-SMe with morpholine at pH 8.62 the rates of product formation and disappearance of the substrate were the same, i.e., there is no accumulation of an intermediate. Likewise, the reaction of 4-SMe with OH- did not yield a detectable intermediate. The factors that allow the accumulation of intermediates in certain SNV reactions but not in others are discussed in detail, and structure-reactivity comparisons are made with reactions of piperidine and morpholine with other highly activated vinylic substrates.

The first example of isomeric solid amide and its enol.

[Structure: see text] The first example of a crystalline amide and its tautomeric enol was obtained for the amide MeNHCSCH(CN)CONHMe (8) and its enol MeNHCSC(CN)=C(OH)NHMe (9). Their X-ray structures were determined, and their structural features resemble those of other related amides and enols. No other example of a similar pair was obtained. In solution, both 8 and 9 and a small percentage of the isomeric enol of thioamide MeNHCOC(CN)=C(SH)NHMe (10) were obtained in solvent-dependent compositions, which are rapidly established.

Substituted 2-methylene-1,3-oxazolidines, -1,3-thiazolidines, -1,3-benzothiazines, -1,3-oxazines, and substituted imidazopyrimidinediones from Cl(CH2)nNCO and Cl(CH2)nNCS and active methylene compounds.

The reaction of omega-chloroalkyl isocyanates Cl(CH2)nNCO (n = 2 (2), 3 (4)) and isothiocyanate Cl(CH2)2NCS (3) with active methylene compounds CH2YY' 1 in the presence of Et3N or Na give 2-YY'-methylene-1,3-oxazolidines, (E,Z)-1,3-thiazolidines, and 1,3-oxazines from 2, 3, and 4, respectively. 2-(Chloromethyl)phenyl isocyanate 8 gives with 1 the corresponding benzo-oxazines. Ethyl 2-isothiocyanatobenzoate 10 gives the corresponding benzothiazolinone, whereas the analogous isocyanate 12 gives noncyclic enols. Ethoxycarbonyl isothiocyanate 14 gives an open-chain thioenol or an enol-thioamide. The cyanoamides CH2(CN)CONHR, R = H, Me, CHPh2, give with Et3N and 2 the bicyclic imidazopyrimidinediones 16, derived from two molecules of 2, but with their preformed Na salt they give the 1,3-oxazolidines. Reaction of cyanoacetamide with 3 in the presence of Na gave a tricyclic triaza(thia)indacene, derived from two molecules of 3. A reaction mechanism involving an initial attack of the anion 1- on the N=C=X (X = O, S) moiety gives an anion 18, which cyclizes intramolecularly and after tautomerization gives the mono-ring heterocycle. With the cyanoamides, the N- site of the ambident ion 18 attacks another molecule of 2 giving the anion 20, which by intramolecular attack on the CN, followed by expulsion of the Cl- gives the bicyclic 16 after tautomerization.

Hydrolysis of alpha-alkyl-alpha-(methylthio)methylene Meldrum's acids. A kinetic and computational investigation of steric effects.

The rates of hydrolysis of alpha-R-alpha-(methylthio)methylene Meldrum's acids (8-R with R = H, Me, Et, s-Bu, and t-Bu) were determined in basic and acidic solution in 50% DMSO-50% water (v/v) at 20 degrees C. In basic solution (KOH), nucleophilic attack to form a tetrahedral intermediate (T(OH)-) is rate limiting for all substrates (k1(OH)). In acidic solution (HCl) and at intermediate pH values (acetate buffers), water attack (k1(H2O) is rate limiting for 8-Me, 8-Et, and 8-s-Bu; the same is presumably the case for 8-t-Bu, but rates were too slow for accurate measurements at low pH. For 8-H, water attack is rate limiting at intermediate pH but at pH < 4.5 MeS- departure from the tetrahedral intermediate becomes rate limiting. Our interpretation of these results is based on a reaction scheme that involves three pathways for the conversion of T(OH)- to products, two of which being unique to hydrolysis reactions and taking advantage of the acidic nature of the OH group in T(OH)-. This scheme provides an explanation why even at high [KOH] T(OH)- does not accumulate to detectable levels even though the equilibrium for OH- addition to 8-R is expected to favor T(OH)-, and why at low pH water attack is rate limiting for R = Me, Et, s-Bu, and t-Bu but leaving group departure becomes rate limiting with the sterically small R = H. The trend in the k1(OH) and k1(H2O) indicates increasing steric crowding at the transition state with increasing size of R, but this effect is partially offset by a sterically induced twisting of the C=C double bond in 8-R which leads to its elongation and makes the substrate less stable and hence more reactive. Our computational results suggest that this effect becomes particularly pronounced for R = t-Bu and explains why k1(OH) for 8-t-Bu is somewhat higher than for the less crowded 8-s-Bu.

Reactions of substituted (methylthio)benzylidene Meldrum's acids with secondary alicyclic amines in aqueous DMSO. Evidence for rate-limiting proton transfer.

The replacement of the methylthio group of substituted methylthiobenzylidene Meldrum's acids (2-SMe-Z) by secondary alicyclic amines occurs by a three-step mechanism. The first step is a nucleophilic attachment of the amine to 2-SMe-Z to form a zwitterionic intermediate T(+/-)(A); the second step involves deprotonation of T(+/-)(A) to form T(-)(A); while the third step represents general acid-catalyzed conversion of T(-)(A) to products. At high amine and/or high KOH concentration nucleophilic attachment is rate limiting. At low amine and low KOH concentration the reaction follows a rate law that is characteristic for general base catalysis which, in principle, is consistent with either rate-limiting deprotonation of T(+/-)(A) or rate-limiting conversion of T(-)(A) to products. A detailed structure-reactivity analysis indicates that for the reactions with piperazine, 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine, and morpholine it is deprotonation of T(+/-)(A) that is rate limiting, while for the reaction with piperidine, conversion of T(-)(A) to products is rate limiting.

Gas-phase acidities of disubstituted methanes and of enols of carboxamides substituted by electron-withdrawing groups.

The gas-phase acidities DeltaG degrees (acid) of some 20 amides/enols of amides RNHCOCHYY'/RNHC(OH)=CYY' [R = Ph, i-Pr; Y, Y' = CO(2)R', CO(2)R' ', or CN, CO(2)R', R', R' ' = Me, CH(2)CF(3), CH(CF(3))(2)], the N-Ph and N-Pr-i amides of Meldrum's acid, 1,3-cyclopentanedione, dimedone, and 1,3-indanedione, and some N-p-BrC(6)H(4) derivatives and of nine CH(2)YY' (Y, Y' = CN, CO(2)R', CO(2)R' '), including the cyclic carbon acids listed above, were determined by ICR. The acidities were calculated at the B3LYP/6-31+G//B3LYP/6-31+G level for both the enol and the amide species or for the carbon acid and the enol on the CO in the CH(2)YY' series. For 12 of the compounds, calculations were also conducted with the larger base sets 6-311+G and G-311+G. The DeltaG degrees (acid) values changed from 341.3 kcal/mol for CH(2)(CO(2)Me)(2) to 301.0 kcal/mol for PhNHC(OH)=C(CN)CH(CF(3))(2). The acidities increased for combinations of Y and Y' based on the order CO(2)Me < CO(2)CH(2)CF(3) < CN, CO(2)CH(CF(3))(2) for a single group and reflect the increased electron-withdrawal ability of Y,Y' coupled with the ability to achieve planarity of the crowded anion. The acidities of corresponding YY'-substituted systems follow the order N-Ph enols > N-Pr-i enols >> CH(2)YY'. Better linear relationships between DeltaG degrees (acid) values calculated for the enols and the observed values than those for the values calculated for the amides suggest that the ionization site is the enolic O-H of most of the noncyclic trisubstituted methanes. The experimental DeltaG degrees (acid) value for Meldrum's acid matches the recently reported calculated value. The calculated structures and natural charges of all species are given, and the changes occurring in them on ionization are discussed. Correlations between the DeltaG degrees (acid) values and the pK(enol) values, which are linear for the trisubstituted methanes, excluding YY' = (CN)(2) and nonlinear for the CH(2)YY' systems, are discussed.

Enols of amides activated by the 2,2,2-trichloroethoxycarbonyl group.

Reaction of isocyanates XNCO (X = Ar, i-Pr, t-Bu) with CH(2)(Y)CO(2)CH(2)CCl(3) (Y = CO(2)Me, CO(2)CH(2)CCl(3), CN) gave 15 amides XNHCOCH(Y)CO(2)CH(2)CCl(3) (6) or enols of amides XNHC(OH)=C(Y)CO(2)CH(2)CCl(3) (5) systems. The amide/enol ratios in solution depend strongly on the substituent Y and the solvent and mildly on the substituent X. The percentage of enol for group Y increases according to Y = CN > CO(2)CH(2)CCl(3) > CO(2)Me and decreases with the solvent according to CCl(4) > C(6)D(6) > CDCl(3) > THF-d(8) > CD(3)CN > DMSO-d(6). With the most acidic systems (Y = CN) amide/enol exchange is observed in moderately polar solvents and ionization to the conjugate base is observed in DMSO-d(6). The solid-state structure of the compound with Y = CN, X = i-Pr was found to be that of the enol. The reasons for the stability of the enols were discussed in terms of polar and resonance effects. Intramolecular hydrogen bonds result in a very low delta(OH) and contribute to the stability of the enols and are responsible for the higher percentage of the E-isomers when Y = CO(2)Me and the Z-isomers when Y = CN. The differences in delta(OH), delta(NH), K(enol), and E/Z enol ratios from the analogues with CF(3) instead of CCl(3) are discussed.

Unequivocal S(RN)1 route of vinyl halides with a multitude of competing pathways: reactivity and structure of the vinyl radical intermediate.

Unambiguous examples of the vinylic S(RN)1 reaction initiated by a single-electron transfer from an electron-donor anion (Y(-)) to a suitable VyX substrate, and proceeding through a vinyl radical (Vy(*)()) intermediate, are described. Competition by alternative substitution routes is extensive, but through a systematic modification of the structure of the substrate, unequivocal examples of the vinylic S(RN)1 route are documented. The geometry of the Vy(*)() and kinetic parameters for H-abstraction and coupling with Y(-) are reported.

Stable simple enols. Self-catalyzed E/Z-isomerization of the sterically crowded 2-(m-methoxymesityl)-1,2-dimesitylethenol.

(E)-2-(m-methoxymesityl)-1,2-dimesitylethenol (3a) isomerizes in the absence of a catalyst in solution to a 1.0:0.9 E/Z (3a/3b) equilibrium mixture. In CDCl3 the isomerization is first order in 3a within a run, but the plot of the rate constant k(obs) vs the changing [3a]0 in different runs is a half-parabola, indicating self-catalysis by more than one enol molecule. At 0.09 M enol, the isotope effect k(3a)/k(3a)-OD = 2.1. In the presence of 0.025-0.25 M pyridine-d5, the k(obs) vs [pyridine-d5] plot displays a bell-shaped profile. The change in the shape of the OH signals of the 3a/3b mixture at 295-430 K in C6D5NO2 was followed by DNMR. The four signals of the diastereomeric 3a/3b mixture observed at 330 K coalesce at 350 K with barriers of 18.3 and 18.4 kcal x mol(-1) due to the diastereomerization of the vinyl propellers. The resulting two signals observed at >360 K further coalesce at 425 K with a barrier of 22.9 kcal x mol(-1) due either to oxygen-to-oxygen proton exchange or to E/Z isomerization. The estimated upper limit for the rate of proton exchange of k(ex) < or = (2-4) x 10(3) M(-1) x s(-1) at 425 K between the enol molecules is sufficiently slow to be a rate-controlling step in the isomerization. A process in which several enol molecules catalyze the isomerization is suggested, and several mechanistic routes are analyzed.

Stable enols of amides ArNHC(OH)=C(CN)CO(2)R. E/Z enols, equilibria with the amides, solvent effects, and hydrogen bonding.

The structures of anilido cyano(fluoroalkoxycarbonyl)methanes ArNHCOCH(CN)CO(2)R, where R = CH(2)CF(3) or CH(CF(3))(2), Ar = p-XC(6)H(4), and X = MeO, Me, H, or Br, were investigated. In the solid state, all exist as the enols ArNHC(OH)=C(CN)CO(2)R 7 (R = CH(2)CF(3)) and 9 (R = CH(CF(3))(2)) with cis arrangement of the hydrogen-bonded ROC=O.HO moiety and a long C1=C2 bond. The product composition in solution is solvent dependent. In CDCl(3) solution, only a single enol is observed, whereas in THF-d(8) and CD(3)CN, two enols (E and Z) are the major products, and the amide is the minor product or not observed at all (K(Enol) 1.04-9 (CD(3)CN, 298 K) and 3 to >/=100 (THF, 300 K)). The percentage of the amide and the Z-enol increase upon an increase in temperature. In all solvents, the percent enol is higher for 9 than for 7. In CD(3)CN, more enol is observed when the aryl group is more electron-donating. The spectra in DMSO-d(6) and DMF-d(7) indicate the presence of mostly a single species, whose spectra do not change on addition of a base and is ascribed to the anion of the ionized carbon acid. Comparison with systems where the CN is replaced by a CO(2)R group (R = CH(2)CF(3), CH(CF(3))(2)) shows a higher percentage of enol for the CN-substituted system. Intramolecular (to CO(2)R) and intermolecular hydrogen bonds determine, to a significant extent, the stability of the enols, their Z/E ratios (e.g., Z/E (THF, 240 K) = 3.2-4.0 (7) and 0.9-1.3 (9)), and their delta(OH) in the (1)H spectra. The interconversion of Z- and E-enol by rotation around the C=C bond was studied by DNMR, and DeltaG() values of >/=15.3 and 14.1 +/- 0.4 kcal/mol for Z-7 and Z-9 were determined. Features of the NMR spectra of the enols and their anions are discussed.