A Kinetic Study on Ethylaminolysis of Phenyl Y-Substituted-Phenyl Carbonates: Effect of Leaving-Group Substituents on Reactivity and Reaction Mechanism

A kinetic study on nucleophilic substitution reactions of phenyl Y-substituted-phenyl carbonates (5a-5j) with ethylamine in 80 mol % $H_2O$/20 mol % DMSO at $25.0{\pm}0.1^{\circ}C$ is reported. The plots of $k_{obsd}$ vs. [amine] are linear for the reactions of substrates possessing a strong electron-withdrawing group (EWG) but curve upward for those of substrates bearing a weak EWG, indicating that the electronic nature of the substituent Y in the leaving group governs the reaction mechanism. The reactions have been concluded to proceed through a stepwise mechanism with one or two intermediates (a zwitterionic tetrahedral intermediate $T^{\pm}$ and its deprotonated form $T^-$) depending on the nature of the substituent Y. Analysis of Bronsted-type plots and dissection of $k_{obsd}$ into microscopic rate constants have revealed that the reactions of substrates possessing a strong EWG (e.g., 5a-5f) proceed through $T^{\pm}$ with its formation being the rate-determining step, while those of substrates bearing a weak EWG (e.g., 5g-5j) proceed through $T^{\pm}$ and $T^-$.