Elimination and addition reactions. Part 39. Variation of nucleofugality with transition state structure – 1,3- and 1,2-eliminations from carbanions compared
Abstract
Phenylsulphonyl-activated 1,3-eliminations have been investigated with the objective of determining nucleofugalities of six leaving groups. In cyclohexane-1,3-diyl and propane-1,3-diyl systems unactivated 1,2-elimination of ‘poor’ leaving groups occurs faster than 1,3-elimination. In 2,2-dimethylpropane-1,3-diyl substrates, however, quantitative 1,3-eliminations occur and the nucleofugalities of Br, Cl, OTs, PhSO2, PhS, PhO, have been determined. In a linear free energy relationship extending over 15 pKa units and 12 rank units, an excellent correlation of nucleofugality with the pKa of the conjugate acid of the leaving group is found. It is concluded from the comparison with 1,2-eliminations previously studied that 1,3-elimination involves considerable leaving group separation and ring formation in the transition state. With bromide as leaving group, the 2,2-dimethylpropane-1,3-diyl system is 103 times more reactive in cyclopropane formation than the propane-1,3-diyl system; this is the first quantitation of the Thorpe–Ingold effect in homocyclic ring formation. With chloride and tosylate leaving groups, smaller accelerations are observed.