The Ortho Effect on the Acidic and Alkaline Hydrolysis of Substituted Formanilides

The kinetics of formanilides hydrolysis were determined under first‐order conditions in hydrochloric acid (0.01–8 M, 20–60°C) and in hydroxide solutions (0.01–3 M, 25 and 40°C). Under acidic conditions, second‐order specific acid catalytic constants were used to construct Hammett plots. The ortho effect was analyzed using the Fujita–Nishioka method. In alkaline solutions, hydrolysis displayed both first‐ and second‐order dependence in the hydroxide concentration. The specific base catalytic constants were used to construct Hammett plots. Ortho effects were evaluated for the first‐order dependence on the hydroxide concentration. Formanilide hydrolyzes in acidic solutions by specific acid catalysis, and the kinetic study results were consistent with the A_AC2 mechanism. Ortho substitution led to a decrease in the rates of reaction due to steric inhibition of resonance, retardation due to steric bulk, and through space interactions. The primary hydrolytic pathway in alkaline solutions was consistent with a modified B_AC2 mechanism. The Hammett plots for hydrolysis of meta‐ and para‐substituted formanilides in 0.10 M sodium hydroxide solutions did not show substituent effects; however, ortho substitution led to a decrease in rate constants proportional to the steric bulk of the substituent.