| Abstract: | In aqueous dioxane containing triethylamine the title 3‐chloroformazans 1 are converted into the corresponding 1,4‐bis(arylazo)‐3,6‐diaryl‐1,2,4,5‐tetrazines 3 via head‐to‐tail dimerization of the intitially formed 1,3‐dipolar ions 2. The kinetics of triethylamine‐catalyzed dehydrochlorination of 1 in 70% dioxane at 27°C and ionic strength of 0.1 were studied. The rate data were linearly correlated with enhanced Hammett substituent constants σx? and an overall ρ value of 0.2 was determined for the variation of the N‐aryl substituent. These results were interpreted in terms of a two‐step mechanism. Also, the mechanisms of the unimolecular fragmentation of 1 and 3 in the mass spectrometer are discussed. |
