| Abstract: | A broad range of kinetic energy release has been found for the 1,4 elimination of water in a series of ortho substituted benzyl alcohols and benzoic acids. It is suggested that the trend reflects, in part, the position of the activated complex on the reaction coordinate. More specifically, reactions which proceed via an ‘early’ transition state release only small quantities of energy, whereas those processes occurring ‘later’ release a larger fraction of the available energy. Consequently, the o- methyl derivatives give large kinetic energy release compared to o- amino or hydroxy substituted compounds. Father verification is obtained from the small kinetic energy release observed for the 1,4 ionic dehydration in simple,acyclic alcohols. |
