Kinetics and thermodynamics of ionization of 4,4′-dimethoxytrityl alcohol in acetonitrile–aqueous acids: determination of enthalpies and entropies of activation and of reaction

Abstract

We have studied the equilibration shown in eqn. (2) of 4,4′-dimethoxytrityl alcohol in aqueous perchloric, nitric, and hydrochloric acids containing 20% acetonitrile at different temperatures using stopped-flow kinetics techniques. The observed overall pseudo first-order rate constant for equilibration, k_obs, decreases with increasing electrolyte concentrations at constant hydronium ion concentration; k_obs, has been resolved into forward and reverse components using the equilibrium UV absorbance and the temperature-independent molar absorptivity of the 4,4′-dimethoxytrityl carbenium ion. The forward reaction (rate constant k_f) is first order in both the alcohol and the acid; the reverse reaction (rate constant k_r) is pseudo first order with respect to the carbocation. At constant hydronium ion concentration, the forward rate constant increases with the concentration of electrolyte whereas the reverse rate constant decreases. Quantitative effects for perchlorate, nitrate, and chloride are different. Results are accommodated by a mechanism which involves pre-equilibrium protonation of the alcohol, heterolysis of the protonated alcohol to give a 4,4′-dimethoxytrityl carbenium ion–water ion–molecule pair, then conversion of this into the dissociated carbenium ion in equilibrium with ion pairs. There are additional parallel reaction channels from the protonated alcohol and electrolyte anions. Some of the elementary rate constants have been evaluated, and enthalpies and entropies of activation have been determined. Correspondingly, some equilibrium constants of the proposed mechanism have been evaluated, and associated enthalpies and entropies of reaction have been determined.