Photochemical Reaction Mechanisms of 2‐Nitrobenzyl Compounds in Solution,I. 2‐Nitrotoluene: Thermodynamic and Kinetic Parameters of the aci‐Nitro Tautomer

The largely reversible, light‐induced tautomerization of 2‐nitrotoluene ( 1 ) to the quinonoid aci‐nitro tautomer aci‐ 1 was studied by flash photolysis as a benchmark for comparison with the widely used nitrobenzyl phototriggers (`caged compounds'). The pH‐rate profile for the decay of aci‐ 1 in aqueous solution exhibits downward curvature at pH 3 – 4, which is attributed to pre‐equilibrium ionization of the nitronic acid aci‐ 1 to its anion 1 ⁻ (pK_a=3.57). Two regions of upward curvature, at pH ca. 6 and <0 (H₀≈−1), each indicate a change in the reaction mechanism. The elementary reactions that dominate between the curved regions are assigned on the basis of kinetic isotope effects and the observation of general acid catalysis: Hydronium ions regenerate 2‐nitrotoluene by C‐protonation of 1 ⁻ in the pH range of 0 – 6, and H₂O is the proton source at pH>6. A hird, irreversible Nef‐type isomerization of aci‐ 1 prevails in highly acidic solutions (pH<0). The equilibrium constant for the thermal tautomerization of 1 to aci‐ 1 is estimated as pK_T=17.0±0.2 based on kinetic data.