Alkali-Metal Ion Catalysis and Inhibition in SNAr Reaction of 1-Halo-2,4-dinitrobenzenes with Alkali-Metal Ethoxides in Anhydrous Ethanol

A kinetic study is reported for $S_NAr$ reaction of 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (5a) and 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (5b) with alkali-metal ethoxides (EtOM, M = Li, Na, K and 18-crown-6-ether complexed K) in anhydrous ethanol. The second-order rate constant increases in the order $k_{EtOLi}$ < $k_{EtO^-}$ < $k_{EtONa}$ < $k_{EtOK}$ < $k_{EtOK/18C6}$ for the reaction of 5a and $k_{EtOLi}$ < $k_{EtONa}$ < $k_{EtO^-$ < $k_{EtOK}$ < $k_{EtOK/18C6}$ for that of 5b. This indicates that $M^+$ ion behaves as a catalyst or an inhibitor depending on the size of $M^+$ ion and the nature of the leaving group ($F^-$ vs. $Cl^-$). Substrate 5a is more reactive than 5b, although the $F^-$ in 5a is ca. $10pK_a$ units more basic than the $Cl^-$ in 5b, indicating that the reaction proceeds through a Meisenheimer complex in which expulsion of the leaving group occurs after the rate-determining step (RDS). $M^+$ ion would catalyze the reaction by increasing either the nucleofugality of the leaving group through a four-membered cyclic transition state or the electrophilicity of the reaction center through a ${\pi}$-complex. However, the enhanced nucleofugality would be ineffective for the current reaction, since expulsion of the leaving group occurs after the RDS. Thus, it has been concluded that $M^+$ ion catalyzes the reaction by increasing the electrophilicity of the reaction center through a ${\pi}$-complex between $M^+$ ion and the ${\pi}$-electrons in the benzene ring.