Allgemeine Basenkatalyse der Azokupplung von o-Diazophenolen. 19. Mitteilung zur Kenntnis der Azokupplungsreaktion

1. The kinetics and the mechanism of the diazo coupling reaction of 2-diazophenol-4-sulphonic acid with 1-naphthol-2-sulphonic acid have been investigated at 0° and ionic strength I=0.45. 2. The pK_a-value of the hydroxyl group in 2-diazophenol-4-sulphonic acid has been determined: pK_a=- 0.04 ± 0.10. It is the diazonium-phenolate anion which actually enters into the diazo coupling reaction. 3. The reaction is subject to general base catalysis. It is shown that no intermediate is enriched during the reaction at pH 11.3–11.6 which proceeds by a two-step mechanism with a steady state intermediate.