Significant Substituent Effects on Pyridinolysis of Aryl Ethyl Chlorophosphates in Acetonitrile

The substituent effects on the pyridinolysis (XC5H4N) of Y-aryl ethyl chlorophosphates are investigated in acetonitrile at $35.0^{\circ}C$. The two strong ${\pi}$-acceptor substituents, X = 4-Ac and 4-CN in the X-pyridines, exhibit large positive deviations from the Hammett plots but little positive deviations from the Br$\ddot{o}$nsted plots. The substituent Y effects on the rates are really significant and the Hammett plots for substituent Y variations in the substrates invariably change from biphasic concave downwards via isokinetic at X = H to biphasic concave upwards with a break point at Y = 3-Me as the pyridine becomes less basic. These are interpreted to indicate a mechanistic change at the break point from a stepwise mechanism with a rate-limiting bond formation (${\rho}_{XY}$ = -6.26) for Y = (4-MeO, 4-Me, 3-Me) to with a rate-limiting leaving group expulsion from the intermediate (${\rho}_{XY}$ = +5.47) for Y = (4-Me, H, 3-MeO). The exceptionally large magnitudes of ${\rho}_{XY}$ values imply frontside nucleophilic attack transition state.