Interaction of 2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone with n-butylamine in halocarbon solvents

The rapid interaction between 2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone (DClNQ) and n-butylamine results in the formation of 2N(n-butylamino)-3-chloro-1,4-naphthoquinone as the final product. The reaction is found to proceed through the initial formation of charge-transfer (CT) complex as an intermediate. The final product of the reaction has been isolated and characterized using FTIR, H1 and C13 NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis. The rate of formation of product has been measured as a function of time in different halocarbon solvents, viz., chloroform, dichloromethane and 1:1 (v/v) mixture of two solvents. The pseudo first order and second order rate constants at various temperatures for the transformation process were evaluated from the absorbance time data. The activation parameters (E(a), DeltaS#, DeltaH#, and DeltaG#) were obtained from temperature dependence of rate constants. The influence of dielectric constant on the properties of reaction was discussed and the probable course of reaction is presented.