Alkali metal ion catalysis in nucleophilic displacement by alkoxide ion in p-nitrophenyl diphenylphosphinate. Rate retardation by crown ether and cryptand complexing agents

Author(s):  
Erwin Buncel ◽  
Edward J. Dunn ◽  
Robert A. B. Bannard ◽  
J. Garfield Purdon
1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (9) ◽  
pp. 1440-1448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward J. Dunn ◽  
Erwin Buncel

The effect of macrocyclic crown ether and cryptand complexing agents on the rate of the nucleophilic displacement reaction of p-nitrophenyl diphenylphosphinate by alkali metal ethoxides in ethanol at 25 °C has been studied by spectrophotometric techniques. For the reactions of potassium ethoxide, sodium ethoxide, and lithium ethoxide, the observed rate constant increased in the order KOEt < NaOEt < LiOEt. Crown ether and cryptand cation-complexing agents have a retarding effect on the rate. Increasing the ratio of complexing agent to base results in a decrease in kobs to a minimum value corresponding to the rate of reaction of free ethoxide ion. In complementary experiments, alkali metal ions were added to these reaction systems in the form of unreactive salts, causing an increase in reaction rate. The kinetic data were analysed in terms of ion-pairing treatments, which allowed evaluation of rate coefficients due to free ethoxide ions and metal ion – ethoxide ion pairs. Possible roles of the metal cations are discussed in terms of ground state and transition state stabilization. Evaluation of the equilibrium constants for association of the metal ion with ground state (Ka) and the transition state (K′a) shows that catalysis occurs as a result of enhanced association between the metal ion and the transition state, with (K′a) values increasing in the order K+ < Na+ < Li+. A model is proposed in which transition state stabilization arises largely from chelation of the solvated metal ion to two charged oxygen centers. This appears to be the first reported instance of catalysis by alkali metal cations in nucleophilic displacement at phosphoryl centers. Keywords: nucleophilic displacement at phosphorus, alkali-metal-ion catalysis.


2003 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erwin Buncel ◽  
Ruby Nagelkerke ◽  
Gregory RJ Thatcher

In continuation of our studies of alkali metal ion catalysis and inhibition at carbon, phosphorus, and sulfur centers, the role of alkali metal ions in nucleophilic displacement reactions of p-nitrophenyl phenylphosphonate (PNPP) has been examined. All alkali metal ions studied acted as catalysts. Alkali metal ions added as inert salts increased the rate while decreased rate resulted on M+ complexation with 18-crown-6 ether. Kinetic analysis indicated the interaction of possibly three potassium ions, four sodium ions, and five lithium ions in the transition state of the reactions of ethoxide with PNPP. Pre-association of the anionic substrate with two metals ions in the ground state gave the best fit to the experimental data of the sodium system. Thus, the study gives evidence of the role of several metal ions in nucleophilic displacement reactions of ethoxide with anionic PNPP, both in the ground state and in the transition state. Molecular modeling of the anionic transition state implies that the size of the monovalent cation and the steric requirement of the pentacoordinate transition state are the primary limitations on the number of cations that can be brought to bear to stabilize the transition state and catalyze nucleophilic substitution at phosphorus. The bearing of the present work on metal ion catalysis in enzyme systems is discussed, in particular enzymes that catalyze phosphoryl transfer, which often employ multiple metal ions. Our results, both kinetic and modeling, reveal the importance of electrostatic stabilization of the transition state for phosphoryl transfer that may be effected by multiple cations, either monovalent metal ions or amino acid residues. The more such cations can be brought into contact with the anionic transition state, the greater the catalysis observed.Key words: alkali metal ion catalysis, nucleophilic displacement at phosphorus, multiple metal ion catalysis, phosphoryl transfer.


1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (10) ◽  
pp. 1837-1845 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward J. Dunn ◽  
Robert Y. Moir ◽  
Erwin Buncel ◽  
J. Garfield Purdon ◽  
Robert A. B. Bannard

The reactions of p-nitrophenyl diphenylphosphinate (1) with lithium, sodium, potassium, and benzyltrimethylammonium phenoxides (BTMAOPh) have been studied by spectrophotometric techniques in anhydrous ethanol at 25 °C. The reactivity (kobs) of the alkali metal phenoxides increases in the order BTMAOPh < KOPh < NaOPh < LiOPh. The rate of reaction of 1 with LiOPh is enhanced when lithium salts (LiSCN, LiNO3, LiClO4, LiOAc) are added to the reaction media. The addition of the alkali metal complexing agents dicyclohexyl-18-crown-6 ether or [2.2.2]cryptand for Na+, and [2.1.1]cryptand for Li+, to each of the alkali metal phenoxide reactions resulted in a decrease in rate, indicating catalysis by the alkali metal ions. The kinetic data are analyzed to obtain specific rate coefficients of reactions of phenoxide and ethoxide as the dissociated ions and as alkali metal – phenoxide ion pairs. Reactivities follow the order [Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]. A mechanism is proposed in which the ion-paired metal phenoxide is more reactive towards the substrate than is the dissociated phenoxide. Analysis of the data in terms of initial state and transition state interactions with metal ions indicates that the increased reactivity of the ion-paired species results from greater stabilization of the negatively charged transition state relative to stabilization of the ion-paired nucleophile. Keywords: nucleophilic displacement at phosphorus by phenoxide, alkali-metal-ion catalysis.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document