Amidines-XVIII: Tautomeric equilibria and pka values of N,N'-disubstituted amidines. Substituent effects

The influence of substitution of amidine group on tautomeric equilibria constants and basicities is discussed. Equations based on correlation analysis methods are derived enabling predictions of both, microscopic pK_a, values of individual tautomers, measured macroscopic pK_a values of the tautomeric mixture, as well as the tautomeric equilibrium constant (as pK_T). It is shown that pK_arn values of unsymmetrically N,N'-disubstituted amidines should obey a non-linear relation with σ° constants, and only for symmetrically N,N'-disubstituted amidines obey the linear Hammett equation. Tautomeric equilibrium constants of N,N'-disubstituted amidines correlate withσ° substituent constants. The methods of prediction of pK_a value of both tautomers and pK_T value are proposed.Derived relations are applied to the series of N,N'-diphenylacetamidines and benzamidines.