A kinetic study of the mechanism of esterification of 1-arylethanols in trifluoroacetic acid

Aryl substituent effects upon the rate constants for the esterification of a series of 1-arylethanols in trifluoroacetic acid are in accordance with a reverse A_AL1 mechanism, for which the Hammett reaction constant ? = ?3.69 has been determined by correlation with σ⁺ substituent constants. The rates of reaction are ca. 50-fold faster than those for corresponding benzyl alcohols which bear an electron-donating aryl substituent and which are also believed to undergo esterification in trifluoroacetic acid by the reverse A_AL1 mechanism; the reverse A_AC2 mechanism applies to benzyl alcohols which bear an electron- withdrawing aryl substituent.