Rates of base-catalysed cleavage of pyridyl-, quinolyl-, picolyl- and (quinolylmethyl)-trimethylsilanes

Rates of cleavage of some picoyl- and (quinolylmethyl)-trimethylsilanes (RSiMe₃, where R = PyCH₂ or QnCH₂SiMe₃) have been measured in “90%” aqueous methanolic sodium methoxide at 50°C. Relative reactivities are: 2-PyCH₂, 1.0; 3-PyCH₂, 0.030; 4-PyCH₂, 8.9; 2-QnCH₂, 41; 3-QnCH₂, 0.161; 4-QnCH₂, 37. The rates correlate well with those for base-catalysed hydrogen-exchange in the parent carbon acids RH. Approximate pK_a's (based on the scale of ion-pair acidities in CsNHC₆H₁₁H₂NC₆H₁₁, with pK_a of 9-phenylfluorene = 18.6) for the carbon acids, RH, can be derived as follows: 2-PyCH₃, 29.5; 3-PyCH₃, 34; 4-PyCH₃, 27; 2-QnCH₃, 25; 3-QnCH₃, 32; 4-QnCH₃, 25.Rates of cleavage of pyridyl- and quinolyl-trimethylsilanes (PySiMe₃ and QnSiMe₃) by sodium hydroxide in 4 : 1 v/v Me₂SO/H₂O at 50°C have also been measured; and the relative reactivities are: 2-Py, 1.0; 3-Py, 2.9; 4-Py, 8.4; 2-Qn, 15.9; 3-Qn, 12.7; 4-Qn, 184. The sequence of reactivity differes from that for base-catalysed hydrogen-exchange at the relevant positions of pyridine and quinoline, indicating that the reactivities are not determined in both cases (if in either) solely by the stabilities of the corresponding carbanions.