The origin of the alpha-effect: dissection of ground-state and transition-state contributions

The origin of the alpha-effect has been probed through a combination of calorimetric and kinetic studies involving butane-2,3-dione monoximate as alpha-nucleophile and p-chlorophenoxide as normal nucleophile in the reaction with p-nitrophenyl acetate in DMSO-H(2)O mixtures, which has been shown to exhibit a bell-shaped profile in the alpha-effect with solvent composition. The study, involving determination of enthalpies of solution and activation parameters, has allowed a dissection of contributions to the alpha-effect of ground-state destabilization and transition-state stabilization in these DMSO-H(2)O solvent media. It has been found that over the solvent composition 0-50 mol % DMSO desolvation of the alpha-nucleophile is the main driving factor to the increasing alpha-effect. However, in solvent mixtures covering 50-90 mol % DMSO the thermodynamic activation parameters suggest an interplay of factors that result in the bell-shaped alpha-effect profile. Discussion is presented that includes possible medium-dependent nonsynchronicity of nucleophile desolvation and bond formation for the alpha-nucleophile.     

The alpha-effect in reactions of sp-hybridized carbon atom: Michael-type reactions of 1-aryl-2-propyn-1-ones with primary amines

[reaction: see text] Second-order rate constants (kN) have been measured for the Michael-type reaction of 1-(X-substituted phenyl)-2-propyn-1-ones (2a-f) with a series of primary amines in H2O at 25.0 +/- 0.1 degree C. A linear Br?nsted-type plot with a small beta(nuc) value (beta(nuc) = 0.30) has been obtained for the reactions of 1-phenyl-2-propyn-1-one (2c) with non-alpha-nucleophile amines. Hydrazine is more reactive than other primary amines of similar basicity (e.g., glycylglycine and glycine ethyl ester) and results in a positive deviation from the linear Br?nsted-type plot. The reactions of 2a-f with hydrazine exhibit a linear Hammett plot, while those with non-alpha-nucleophile amines give linear Yukawa-Tsuno plots, indicating that the electronic nature of the substituent X does not affect the reaction mechanism. The alpha-effect increases as the substituent X in the phenyl ring of 2a-f becomes a stronger electron-donating group. However, the magnitude of the alpha-effect for the reactions of 2a-f is small (e.g., kN(hydrazine)/kN(glycylglycine) = 4.6-13) regardless of the electronic nature of the substituent X. The small beta(nuc) has been suggested to be responsible for the small alpha-effect. A solvent kinetic isotope effect (e.g., kN(H2O)/kN(D2O) = 1.86) was observed for the reaction with hydrazine but absent for the reactions with non-alpha-nucleophile amines. The reactions with hydrazine and other primary amines have been suggested to proceed through a five-membered intramolecular H-bonding structure VI and a six-membered intermolecular H-bonding structure VII, respectively. The transition state modeled on VI can account for the substituent dependent alpha-effect and the difference in the solvent kinetic isotope effect exhibited by the reactions with hydrazine and other primary amines. It has been proposed that the beta(nuc) value is more important than the hybridization type of the reaction site to determine the magnitude of the alpha-effect.     

Effect of acyl substituents on the reaction mechanism for aminolyses of 4-nitrophenyl X-substituted benzoates

Second-order rate constants (k(N)) have been measured spectrophotometrically for the reaction of 4-nitrophenyl X-substituted benzoates with a series of alicyclic secondary amines in H(2)O containing 20 mol % dimethyl sulfoxide at 25.0 degrees C. The magnitude of the k(N) values increases with increasing the basicity of amines and with increasing the electron-withdrawing ability of the acyl substituent X. The Hammett plots obtained are not linear but show a break or curvature as the acyl substituent X becomes electron withdrawing for all the amines studied, while the Bronsted-type plots are linear with large beta(nuc) values for all the substrates investigated. The nonlinear Hammett plots suggest a change in the rate-determining step upon changing the acyl substituent X, whereas the linear Bronsted-type plots indicate that the rate-determining step does not change upon changing amine basicity. The Yukawa-Tsuno plots obtained are also linear with positive rho(X) and large r values, suggesting that the nonlinear Hammett plots are not due to a change in the rate-determining step upon changing the acyl substituent X, but due to resonance demand of the pi-electron donor substituent on the acyl moiety. The magnitude of the rho(X) and beta(nuc) values increases with increasing the basicity of amines and with increasing the electron-withdrawing ability of the acyl substituent X, respectively, while that of the r values decreases with increasing rho(X) values and amine basicity.     

The alpha-effect in methyl transfers from S-methyldibenzothiophenium fluoroborate to substituted N-methylbenzohydroxamates

Studies of the alpha-effect show increased reactivity of nucleophiles having lone pairs of electrons on atoms neighboring the lone pair involved in reactivity when compared to the basicity of the nucleophiles. Hammett-type plots and Br?nsted-type plots of substituted methylphenyl sulfates vs hydrogen peroxide anions and substituted N-methylbenzohydroxanates (NMBH) with substituted methylarenesulfonates or substituted arenedimethylsulfonium ions have large rho or beta(nuc) values, indicating a putative tightening of the usual S(N)2 transition states (anti-Hammond effect). Electrochemical studies of S(N)2-SET or reactivity indicate that SET character occurs in looser transition states, whereas S(N)2 transition states are associated with greater tightness. The alpha-effects for the series of sulfonium salts in completion reactions for 3-ClNMBH anions and 3-nitrophenolate anions are (log k(alpha)/k(normal)) 1.124 for dimethylphenyl sulfonium, 1.512 for dimethyl-1-naphthyl sulfonium, 1.835 for dimethyl-9-anthracenyl sulfonium, and 1.137 for S-methyldibenzylthiophenium. Correlations of the sizes of alpha-effects with typical SET (or ET) experimental parameters and the inverse dependence of the size of the alpha-effect on electron demand indicate inclusion of SET character in these S(N)2 transition states, vs no (or at least diminished) SET character in normal transition states. This dichotomy of tighter S(N)2 transition states, but looser SET transition states indicated in the alpha-effect, is examined in the present work.     

Solvent effect on the alpha-effect for the reactions of aryl acetates with butane-2,3-dione monoximate and p-chlorophenoxide in MeCN-H2O mixtures.

Second-order rate constants have been measured spectrophotometrically for the nucleophilic reactions of three substituted phenyl acetates with butane-2,3-dione monoximate (Ox(-)) as an alpha-nucleophile and p-chlorophenoxide (ClPhO(-)) as corresponding normal nucleophile, in MeCN-H2O mixtures of varying compositions at 25.0 +/- 0.1 degrees C. The reactivity of Ox(-) toward the aryl acetates decreases upon addition of MeCN to the reaction medium up to ca. 30 mol % MeCN, followed by a gradual increase in rate upon further addition of MeCN. A similar result has been obtained for the reaction of ClPhO(-) with the aryl acetates. However, the decrease in rate is more significant for the less reactive ClPhO(-) than for the more reactive Ox(-). Thus, for all the aryl acetates studied, Ox(-) exhibits a sizable alpha-effect (k(Ox)-/k(ClPhO)-) whose magnitude increases as the mol % MeCN in the reaction medium increases. The relative basicities (DeltapK(a)) of Ox(-) and ClPhO(-) have been determined spectrophotometrically using piperazine as a reference base. The DeltapK(a) values increase on increasing the mol % MeCN in the medium for both Ox(-) and ClPhO(-). The difference in the relative basicities of these nucleophiles (DeltaDeltapK(a)) becomes larger with increasing mol % MeCN. The plots of log k(Ox)-/k(ClPhO)- vs DeltaDeltapK(a) for the three substrates are linear with near-unit slope, indicating that the difference in the relative basicity of the nucleophiles is largely responsible for the increasing alpha-effect with medium composition in this system.     

Environmental effects on phosphoryl group bonding probed by vibrational spectroscopy: implications for understanding phosphoryl transfer and enzymatic catalysis

We have used vibrational spectroscopy to study bonding in monosubstituted dianionic phosphates, both to learn more about basic properties intrinsic to this important class of biological substrates and to assess the ability of vibrational spectroscopy to provide a "sensor" or probe of the local environment experienced by the phosphoryl group. We examined the bonding properties of the phosphoryl group via vibrational spectroscopy for a series of compounds in which the phosphoryl substituent was varied systematically and extensively. A broad linear correlation of the bridging P-O(R) bond length and the pK(a) of the substituent alcohol was observed. The results indicate that the P-O(R) bond changes by only approximately 0.04 A with alcohol substituents that vary in pK(a) by approximately 12 units, suggesting that phosphoryl group bonding responds in a subtle but regular manner to changes in the local environment. We also determined the effect on the phosphoryl bonding from changes in the solvent environment. Addition of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) elongates the bridging bond, presumably as a result of lessened solvation to the nonbridging oxygens and conservation of bond order to phosphorus. Finally, we have addressed the relationship between ground-state bonding properties and reactivity, as changing the leaving group substituent and adding DMSO have large rate effects, and it was previously proposed that lengthening of the bond to be broken is the cause of the increased reactivity. The results herein suggest, however, that the change in the bridging bond energy is small compared to the changes in energy that accompany the observed reactivity differences. Further analysis indicates that electrostatic interactions can provide a common driving force underlying both bond lengthening and the observed rate increases. We suggest that ground-state distortions of substrates bound to enzymes can provide a readout of the electrostatic active site environment, an environment that is otherwise difficult to assess.     

Modification of both the electrophilic center and substituents on the nonleaving group in pyridinolysis of O-4-nitrophenyl benzoate and thionobenzoates

A kinetic study is reported for reactions of 4-nitrophenyl benzoate (1c) and O-4-nitrophenyl X-substituted thionobenzoates (2a-e) with a series of pyridines in 80 mol % H2O/20 mol % dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) at 25.0 +/- 0.1 degrees C. O-4-Nitrophenyl thionobenzoate (2c) is more reactive than its oxygen analogue 1c toward all the pyridines studied. The Br?nsted-type plot is linear with beta(nuc)=1.06 for reactions of 1c but curved for the corresponding reactions of 2c with beta(nu)c decreasing from 1.38 to 0.38 as the pyridine basicity increases, indicating that the reaction mechanism is also influenced on changing the electrophilic center from C=O to C=S. The curvature center of the curved Br?nsted-type plots (defined as pK(a)(o)) occurs at pKa = 9.3 regardless of the electronic nature of the substituent X in the nonleaving group. The Hammett plot for reactions of 2a-e with 4-aminopyridine is nonlinear, i.e., the substrates having an electron-donating substituent exhibit negative deviations from the Hammett plot. However, the Yukawa-Tsuno plot for the same reactions exhibits good linear correlation, indicating that the negative deviations shown by these substrates arise from stabilization of the ground state through resonance interaction between the electron-donating substituent X and the C=S bond.     

Reactions of [aryloxy(phenyl)carbene]pentacarbonylchromium(0) complexes with thiolate ions. Decreasing reactivity with increasing basicity of the nucleophile

A kinetic study of the reactions of thiolate ions with three Fischer-type [aryloxy(phenyl)carbene]pentacarbonyl chromium(0) complexes in 50% MeCN-50% water (v/v) is reported. Br?nsted plots of the second-order rate constants are biphasic with an initial steep rise for weakly basic thiolate ions (beta(nuc) approximately equal to 1.0) followed by a slightly descending leg with a negative slope (beta(nuc) approximately equal to -0.2) for strongly basic thiolate ions. This indicates a change from rate-limiting leaving group departure at low pK(RSH)(a) to rate-limiting nucleophilic attachment at high pK(RSH)(a). The negative beta(nuc) values result from a combination of minimal progress of C-S bond formation at the transition state and the requirement for partial desolvation of the nucleophile before it enters the transition state. Possible factors that may affect the degree of bond formation in reactions of Fischer carbene complexes as well as reactions of other unsaturated electrophiles with thiolate ions are discussed.     

Mechanistic study of protein phosphatase-1 (PP1), a catalytically promiscuous enzyme

The reaction catalyzed by the protein phosphatase-1 (PP1) has been examined by linear free energy relationships and kinetic isotope effects. With the substrate 4-nitrophenyl phosphate (4NPP), the reaction exhibits a bell-shaped pH-rate profile for kcat/KM indicative of catalysis by both acidic and basic residues, with kinetic pKa values of 6.0 and 7.2. The enzymatic hydrolysis of a series of aryl monoester substrates yields a Br?nsted beta(lg) of -0.32, considerably less negative than that of the uncatalyzed hydrolysis of monoester dianions (-1.23). Kinetic isotope effects in the leaving group with the substrate 4NPP are (18)(V/K) bridge = 1.0170 and (15)(V/K) = 1.0010, which, compared against other enzymatic KIEs with and without general acid catalysis, are consistent with a loose transition state with partial neutralization of the leaving group. PP1 also efficiently catalyzes the hydrolysis of 4-nitrophenyl methylphosphonate (4NPMP). The enzymatic hydrolysis of a series of aryl methylphosphonate substrates yields a Br?nsted beta(lg) of -0.30, smaller than the alkaline hydrolysis (-0.69) and similar to the beta(lg) measured for monoester substrates, indicative of similar transition states. The KIEs and the beta(lg) data point to a transition state for the alkaline hydrolysis of 4NPMP that is similar to that of diesters with the same leaving group. For the enzymatic reaction of 4NPMP, the KIEs are indicative of a transition state that is somewhat looser than the alkaline hydrolysis reaction and similar to the PP1-catalyzed monoester reaction. The data cumulatively point to enzymatic transition states for aryl phosphate monoester and aryl methylphosphonate hydrolysis reactions that are much more similar to one another than the nonenzymatic hydrolysis reactions of the two substrates.     

Purification and characterization of a laccase from the white-rot fungus Trametes multicolor

The wood-degrading fungus Trametes multicolor secretes several laccase isoforms when grown on a simple medium containing copper in the millimolar range for stimulating laccase synthesis. The main isoenzyme laccase II was purified to apparent homogeneity from the culture supernatant by using anion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration. Laccase II is a monomeric glycoprotein with a molecular mass of 63 kDa as determined by sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, contains 18% glycosylation, and has a pI of 3.0. It oxidizes a variety of phenolic substrates as well as ferrocyanide and iodide. The pH optimum depends on the substrate employed and shows a bell-shaped pH activity profile with an optimum of 4.0 to 5.0 for the phenolic substrates, while the nonphenolic substrates ferrocyanide and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate) show a monotonic pH profile with a rate decreasing with increasing pH.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the aminolysis of aryl ethyl chloro and chlorothio phosphates with anilines

The reactions of ethyl Y-phenyl chloro (1) and chlorothio (2) phosphates with X-anilines in acetonitrile at 55.0 degrees C are studied kinetically and theoretically. Kinetic results yield the primary kinetic isotope effects (k(H)/k(D) = 1.07-1.80 and 1.06-1.27 for 1 and 2, respectively) with deuterated aniline (XC(6)H(4)ND(2)) nucleophiles, and the cross-interaction constants rho(XY) = -0.60 and -0.28 for and , respectively. A concerted mechanism involving a partial frontside attack through a hydrogen-bonded, four-center-type transition state is proposed. The large rho(X) (rho(nuc) = -3.1 to -3.4) and beta(X) (beta(nuc) = 1.1-1.2) values seem to be characteristic of the anilinolysis of phosphates and thiophosphates with the Cl leaving group. Because of the relatively large size of the aniline nucleophile, the degree of steric hindrance could be the decisive factor that determines the direction of the nucleophilic attack to the phosphate and thiophosphate substrates with the relatively small-sized Cl leaving group.     

Reactivity of sulfur nucleophiles with N-methyl-N-nitroso-p-toluenesulfonamide

The transfer of the nitroso group from N-methyl-N-nitroso-p-toluenesulfonamide (MNTS) to cysteine (CYS) and 2-aminoethanethiol (AET) has been studied in a pH range between pH = 7 and pH = 13. Kinetic results clearly indicate that both nucleophiles react through the corresponding thiolate to give the corresponding nitrosothiol. The existence of two (AET) or three (CYS) macroscopic acidity constants has been kinetically evidenced and the nitrosation rates of the corresponding bases have been identified. Nitrosation rate constants of the different species present in the reaction medium have been determined and a Bronsted-type plot has been established giving a beta(nuc) value approximately equal to 0.08 clearly different from the values of beta(nuc) approximately equal to 0.7 obtained in the nitrosation of primary and secondary amines by MNTS. The low beta(nuc) value has been attributed to the need for previous desolvation of the nucleophile.     

Efficient intramolecular general acid catalysis of nucleophilic attack on a phosphodiester

The hydrolysis of methyl 8-dimethylamino-1-naphthyl phosphate 4 and its reactions with a representative range of nucleophiles are catalyzed by the dimethylammonium group at acidic pH with rate accelerations of the order of 106. The reaction persists up to pH 7 because the strong intramolecular hydrogen bond, which is the key to efficient general acid catalysis, is present also in the reactant. The sensitivity to the basicity of the nucleophile (Br?nsted beta(nuc) = 0.29) lies between values measured previously for mono- and triesters. The comparisons suggest that general acid catalyzed reactions of phosphate mono- or diesters with strongly basic oxyanion nucleophiles (like those derived from a serine oxygen or a bound water molecule in an enzyme active site) will be fastest when their negative charges are neutralized by protonation. Reactions with NH2OH and its N-methylated derivatives show an apparent alpha-effect, but NH2OMe reacts no faster than a primary amine of similar basicity. It is suggested that the reaction involving NH2OH as an oxygen nucleophile proceeds through the pre-equilibrium formation of the tautomer H3N+-O- as the active nucleophile: ab initio calculations support this idea.     

Aminolysis of Y-substituted phenyl diphenylphosphinates and benzoates: effect of modification of electrophilic center from C=O to P=O

The effect of modification of the electrophilic center from C=O to P=O on reactivity and reaction mechanism has been investigated for aminolysis of Y-substituted phenyl diphenylphosphinates (1a-j) and benzoates (2a-i). The phosphinates 1a-j are less reactive than the benzoates 2a-i. The reactions of 2,4-dinitrophenyl diphenylphosphinate (1a) with alicyclic secondary amines resulted in a linear Br?nsted-type plot with a beta(nuc) value of 0.38, while the corresponding reactions of 2,4-dinitrophenyl benzoate (2a) yielded a curved Br?nsted-type plot. Similarly, a linear Br?nsted-type plot with a beta(lg) value of -0.66 was obtained for the reactions of 1a-j with piperidine, while the corresponding reactions of 2a-i gave a curved Br?nsted-type plot. The linear Br?nsted-type plots for the reactions of 1a-j have been taken as evidence for a concerted mechanism, while the curved Br?nsted-type plots for the reactions of 2a-i have been suggested to indicate a change in the rate-determining step of a stepwise mechanism. The Hammett plot for the reactions of 1b-j exhibited a poor correlation with sigma(-) constants (R(2) = 0.962) but slightly better correlation with sigma(o) (R(2) = 0.986). However, the Yukawa-Tsuno plot for the same reactions resulted in an excellent correlation (R(2) = 0.9993) with an r value of 0.30. The aminolysis of 1a-j has been suggested to proceed through a concerted mechanism with an early transition state on the basis of the small beta(nuc) and small r values.     

High Brønsted beta nuc values in SNAr displacement. An indicator of the SET pathway?

Nucleophilic substitutions of 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan (NBD-Cl) and 3-methyl-1-(4-nitrobenzofurazanyl)-imidazolium ions (NBD-Im+) with a series of 4-X-substituted anilines have been kinetically investigated in 70-30 (v/v) and 20-80 (v/v) H2O-Me2SO mixtures. The rate-limiting step in these reactions is nucleophilic addition with formation of Meisenheimer-type sigma-adducts followed by fast expulsion of the leaving group (Cl- or Im). The reactions are characterized by a notable sensitivity to basicity of the aniline nucleophiles, with Hammett rho values of -2.68 and -3.82 in 30% and 80% Me2SO, respectively, for NBD-Cl and even more negative values, -3.43 and -5.27, respectively, for NBD-Im+. This is consistent with significant development of positive charge at the nitrogen atom of the zwitterionic sigma-adduct. Unexpectedly, the Br?nsted-type plots reveal abnormally high beta nuc values, ca. 1.0 and 1.3-1.4, respectively. Satisfactory correlations between the rates of the reactions and the oxidation potentials of the respective anilines support a SET mechanism for this process, i.e. initial (fast) electron-transfer from the aniline donor to the nitrobenzofurazan acceptor moiety and subsequent (slow) coupling of the resulting cation and anion radicals within the solvent cage with formation of the sigma-adduct. An alternative possible explanation of the high beta nuc values being related to the strong--I effect exerted by the negatively charged 4-nitrobenzofurazanyl structure, which would induce a greater positive charge at the developing anilinium nitrogen atom in the sigma-adduct-like transition state as compared with the situation in the reference protonation equilibria of anilines, is considered less probable. It is thus proposed that obtention of abnormal beta nuc values may be an indicator of electron-transfer in nucleophilic aromatic substitution and highlights the transition from the polar (SNAr) to the single electron-transfer (SET) mechanism.     

Ab initio diradical/zwitterionic polarizabilities and hyperpolarizabilities in twisted double bonds

We investigated the nature of the ground state and static response properties (mu, alpha, and beta) for a promising class of twisted pi-electron system nonlinear optical chromophores at the HF, B3LYP, MP2, and CASSCF levels. We report results for a substituted twisted ethylene and a larger tictoid analogue. Previous work has reported only a zwitterionic character for such tictoid species, however, (14,13) CASSCF calculations predict a ground-state diradical. At the HF, B3LYP, MP2, and (14,13) CASSCF levels, the values of beta are orders of magnitude smaller than those predicted by semiempirical methods.     

G2(+) investigation on the alpha-effect in the SN2 reactions at saturated carbon

As a continuing theoretical study on the alpha-effect in the S(N)2 reactions at saturated carbon centers, 28 gas-phase reactions have been examined computationally by using the high-level G2(+) method. The reactions include: Nu(-)+CH(3)X-->CH(3)Nu+X(-) (X=F and Cl; Nu(-)=HO(-), HS(-), CH(3)O(-), Cl(-), Br(-), HOO(-), HSO(-), FO(-), ClO(-), BrO(-), NH(2)O(-), and HC(==O)OO(-)). It was found that all alpha-nucleophiles examined exhibit downward deviations from the correlation line between the overall barriers and proton affinities for normal nucleophiles, indicating the existence of the alpha-effect in the gas phase. The transition states (TS) for the alpha-nucleophiles are characterized by less advanced C--X bond cleavages than the normal nucleophiles, leading to smaller deformation energies and overall barriers. The size of the alpha-effect is related to the electron density on the alpha-atom, and increases when the position of alpha-atom is changed from left to right and from bottom to top in the periodic table. The reaction with CH(3)F exhibits a larger alpha-effect than that with CH(3)Cl, which can be explained by a later TS and a more positively charged methyl group at the TS for CH(3)F, [NuCH(3)F](- not equal). Thus, a higher electron density on the alpha-atom and a more positive methyl moiety at the TS result in a larger alpha-effect.     

The role of hydrogen bonding on the h-atom-donating abilities of catechols and naphthalene diols and on a previously overlooked aspect of their infrared spectra

Catechols and 1,8-naphthalene diols contain one "free" hydroxyl and one intramolecularly H-bonded hydroxyl group. The "free" hydroxyls are strong hydrogen-bond donors (HBDs) with alpha2H values (Abraham et al. J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 2 1989, 699) ranging from 0.685 to 0.775, indicating that these compounds have similar HBD properties to those of strongly acidic phenols such as 4-chlorophenol (alpha2H = 0.670) and 3, 5-dichlorophenol (alpha2H = 0.774). Kinetic effects on H-atom abstractions from the diols in HB acceptor (HBA) solvents can be quantitatively accounted for over at least 50% of the available range of solvent HBA activities (as measured by their beta2H values; see Abraham et al. J. Chem. Soc. Perkin Trans. 2 1990, 521) on the basis of a single reactive OH group, the "free" OH. This free OH group is an outstanding H-atom donor in poor HBA solvents; e.g., in hexane rate constants for reaction with the DPPH* radical are 2.1 x 104 M-1 s-1 for 3,5-di-tert-butyl catechol and 2 x 106 M-1 s-1 for 4-methoxy-1,8-naphthalene diol, but only 7.4 x 103 M-1 s-1 for alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E). The diols are much more reactive than simple phenols because the O-H bond dissociation enthalpy of the "free" OH group is weakened by 5-9 kcal/mol by the intramolecular H-bond. The IR spectra of all the diols in CCl4 show two fairly sharp O-H stretching bands of roughly equal intensity separated by 42-138 cm-1. Addition of a low concentration of DMSO, a strong HBA, causes the band due to the intramolecularly H-bonded OH group to decrease in intensity to roughly half the extent that the "free" OH band loses intensity. The latter forms an intermolecular H-bond with the DMSO, the former does not. What has been overlooked in earlier work is that as the DMSO concentration is increased the band due to the intramolecularly H-bonded OH group first broadens and then evolves into a new, lower frequency (by 19-92 cm-1) band. The magnitude of the shift in the frequency of the intramolecular OH band caused by H-bonding of HBAs to the "free" OH group, Deltanu, increases linearly as the HBA activity of the additive increases, e.g., for 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol, Deltanu/cm-1 = 33.8 beta2H (R 2 = 0.986). This may provide a new and simple method for determining beta2H values.     

Effect of o-methyl group on rate, mechanism, and resonance contribution: aminolysis of Y-substituted phenyl X-substituted 2-methylbenzoates

Second-order rate constants have been determined spectrophotometrically for the reactions of 4-nitrophenyl X-substituted 2-methylbenzoates (2a-e) and Y-substituted phenyl 2-methylbenzoates (3a-e) with alicyclic secondary amines in 80 mol % H(2)O/20 mol % DMSO at 25.0 +/- 0.1 degrees C. The o-methyl group in the benzoyl moiety of 2a-e retards the reaction rate but does not influence the reaction mechanism. The Hammett plots for the reactions of 2a-e are nonlinear, while the corresponding Yukawa-Tsuno plots are linear with large r values (1.06-1.70). The linear Yukawa-Tsuno plots suggest that stabilization of the ground-state through resonance interaction between the electron donating substituent X and the carbonyl group is responsible for the nonlinear Hammett plots, while the large r values imply that the ground-state resonance interaction is significant. The reactions of 2a-e resulted in smaller rho(X) values but larger r values than the corresponding reactions of 4-nitrophenyl X-substituted benzoates (1a-e). The small rho(X) value for the reactions of 2a-e (e.g., rho(X) = 0.22) is suggested to be responsible for the large r value (e.g., r = 1.70). The reactions of 3a-e with piperidine are proposed to proceed in a stepwise manner with a change in the rate-determining step on the basis of the curved Br?nsted-type plot obtained. Microscopic rate constants associated with the reactions of 3a-e are also consistent with the proposed mechanism.     

The resonance Raman effect of uranyl formate in dimethyl sulfoxide

The resonance Raman scattering spectra of uranyl formate (UO(2)(HCOO)(2)) in dimethyl sulfoxide ((CH(3))(2)SO, DMSO) have been measured under laser excitation of the uranyl ion in resonance with the 1Sigma(g)(+)-->(1)Phi(g) Laport forbidden f-f electronic transitions (ranging from 510 to 450 nm) by using ten output lines with wavelength ranging from 528.7 to 454.5 nm of the argon-ion laser at room temperature. The observed resonance excitation profile resembles the vibronic structure of the electronic absorption spectrum (ABS) but does not completely superimpose on it. Such a discrepancy is quantitatively explained by the interference effect, which occurs noticeably in the UO(2)L(2) (L=NO(3), CH(3)COO, Cl or HCOO)-DMSO system. Transform theory that makes use of the electronic ABS of the resonant electronic state has been applied to predict the Raman excitation profile (REP) of the uranyl totally symmetric stretching vibrational mode. Comparing the experimental REP with the transform theory prediction, it is found that the resonance Raman intensities of this stretching mode depend mainly on the vibronic interaction (non-Condon effect) in excited electronic states. Reliable value of the nuclear displacement on going the 1Sigma(g)(+)-->(1)Phi(g) electronic transition and the amount of charge transferred from the ligand to uranium of uranyl ion both in the ground and excited states are obtained. Elongation of the U-O equilibrium bond length due to the electronic transition is related to the magnitude of the change in the excitation profile, and has linear relation to the change in the amount of charge transferred from the ligand to uranium of uranyl ion in UO(2)L(2) type uranyl compounds in DMSO.