Kinetics of the reaction of sodium arylthiolates with nitro-carboxybenzyl halide derivatives

The rate constants for the reactions of 4-halomethyl-3-nitrobenzoic acids, the nonnitro derivatives, and their ethyl esters with arylthiolates were measured at different temperatures. It was found that the retardation in rate constants compared to benzyl halides is due to the electrostatic repulsion between the electronegative substituents (COO⁻ and/or NO₂) in the substrates and thiolate ions. Good correlations between log k₂ values of the acids and carbon basicities of thiolates were found while log k₂ values of the esters show good straight lines with Hammett σ constants, pk_a, and carbon basicities of arylthiolates. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons Inc