E1cB and E2cB mechanisms in the elimination of trifluoroethoxide ion from α,α-dinitro-β,β-diphenyl-β-(trifluoroethoxy)ethanide anion and the non-reactivity of the β-cyano-α,α-dinitro-β,β-diphenylethanide anion
Abstract
The reaction of α,α-dinitro-β,β-diphenyl-β-(trifluoroethoxy)ethane (5) with the bases (B) pyridine and collidine in acetonitrile gives the corresponding free ammonium ion BH+ and carbanion (6a). The equilibrium constants (Kdiss) for the reaction (5)+ B ⇌(6a)+ BH+ are 0·05 for collidine and 0·00027 for pyridine at 40°. The elimination of CF3CH2O– from (6a)(ke) to give 1,1-dinitro-2,2-diphenylethylene (3a) is first order in (6a) and in BH+, and a rate-determining BH+-assisted expulsion of CF3CH2O–(E2cB mechanism) is suggested. This is verified by the relative reactivities of the BH+, the reaction in the presence of oxalic acid, and the isotope effects of 1·27 with pyridine and 1·54 with collidine. With Et3N the elimination is first order in (6a) and unassisted by BH+; the isotope effect is 1·07. Addition of Et3N to 3,3-dinitro-2,2-diphenylpropionitrile (4a) and its bis-(p-methoxy)-derivative (4b) gives immediately the corresponding carbanions (6b and c). These carbanions do not eliminate CN–, and essentially do not exchange their cyano-group with added cyanide ion, thus representing an extreme case of E1cB reactions where the anion which is quantitatively formed is too stable to undergo elimination. The effects of the α-activating groups and the leaving group on the rate of the C–X bond cleavage are discussed.