• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.193-196
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• 2003

Nucleophilic addition reactions of benzylamines $(XC_6H_4CH_2NH_2)$ to benzylidene Meldrum's acids (BMA; $YC_6H_4CH=C(COO)_2C(CH_3)_2$) have been investigated in acetonitrile at 20.0 ℃. The rates of addition are greatly enhanced due to the abnormally high acidity of Meldrum's acid. The magnitudes of the Hammett $({\rho}_X\;and\;{\rho}_Y)$ and Bronsted $({\rho}_X$)$ coefficients are rather small suggesting an early transition state. The sign and magnitude of the cross-interaction constant, ${\rho}_{XY}$ (= -0.33), and kinetic isotope effects $(k_H/k_D\;{\stackrel}{~}{=}\;1.5-1.7)$ involving deuterated benzylamine nucleophilies $(XC_6H_4CH_2ND_2)$ are indicative of hydrogen-bonded cyclic transition state. The activation parameters, ${\Delta}H^{\neq}\;{\stackrel}{~}{=}\;4\;kcal\;mol^{-1}\;and\;{\Delta}S^{\neq}\;{\stackrel}{~}{=}\;-37\;e.u.$, are also in line with the proposed mechanism.