Keywords: Kinetics / Linear free energy relationships / Solvent effects / Nucleophilicity / AminesThe kinetics of the reactions of primary and secondary amines with benzhydrylium ions and quinone methides in acetonitrile have been studied under pseudo-first-order conditions (high excess of amines) by UV/Vis spectrophotometry. Generally, the plots of k obs versus amine concentration were linear, in line with a second-order rate law. However, for some reactions of secondary amines with quinone methides, the plots of k obs versus amine concentration showed an upward curvature, which indicates rate-limiting deprotonation of the initially formed adduct by a second molecule of amine.

The kinetics of the reactions of amines, hydrazines, hydrazides, and hydroxylamines with benzhydrylium ions and quinone methides were studied in acetonitrile and water by UV-vis spectroscopy, using conventional spectrometers and stopped-flow and laser-flash techniques. From the second-order rate constants k(2) of these reactions, the nucleophilicity parameters N and s(N) were determined according to the linear free energy relationship log k(2) = s(N)(N + E). While methyl groups increase the reactivities of the α-position of hydrazines, they decrease the reactivities of the β-position. Despite the 10(2) times lower reactivities of amines and hydrazines in water than in acetonitrile, the relative reactivities of differently substituted amines and hydrazines are almost identical in the two solvents. In both solvents hydrazine has a reactivity similar to that of methylamine. This observation implies that replacement of one hydrogen in ammonia by Me increases the nucleophilicity more than introduction of an amino group, if one takes into account that hydrazine has two reactive centers. Plots of log k(2) versus the corresponding equilibrium constants (log K) or Brønsted basicities (pK(aH)) do not show enhanced nucleophilicities (α-effect) for either hydrazines or hydroxylamine relative to alkylamines.

Equilibria for the reactions of benzhydryl cations (Ar2CH(+)) with phosphines, tert-amines, pyridines, and related Lewis bases were determined photometrically in CH2Cl2 and CH3CN solution at 20 °C. The measured equilibrium constants can be expressed by the sum of two parameters, defined as the Lewis Acidity (LA) of the benzhydrylium ions and the Lewis basicity (LB) of the phosphines, pyridines, etc. Least-squares minimization of log K = LA + LB with the definition LA = 0 for (4-MeOC6H4)2CH(+) gave a Lewis acidity scale for 18 benzhydrylium ions covering 18 orders of magnitude in CH2Cl2 as well as Lewis basicities (with respect to C-centered Lewis acids) for 56 bases. The Lewis acidities correlated linearly with the quantum chemically calculated (B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,2pd)//B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level) methyl anion affinities of the corresponding benzhydrylium ions, which can be used as reference compounds for characterizing a wide variety of Lewis bases. The equilibrium measurements were complemented by isothermal titration calorimetry studies. Rates of SN1 solvolyses of benzhydryl chlorides, bromides, and tosylates derived from E(13-33)(+), i.e., from highly reactive carbocations, correlate excellently with the corresponding Lewis acidities and the quantum chemically calculated methyl anion affinities. This correlation does not hold for solvolyses of derivatives of the better stabilized amino-substituted benzhydrylium ions E(1-12)(+). In contrast, the correlation between electrophilic reactivities and Lewis acidities (or methyl anion affinities) is linear for all donor-substituted benzhydrylium ions E(1-21)(+), while the acceptor-substituted benzhydrylium ions E(26-33)(+) react more slowly than expected from their thermodynamic stabilities. The boundaries of linear rate-equilibrium relationships were thus defined.

Keywords: Nitrogen heterocycles / Carbocations / Kinetics / Electrophilic substitution / Linear free energy relationshipsThe second-order rate constants of the reactions of alkyl-substituted pyrroles with a series of benzhydrylium ions were determined in acetonitrile, and the reaction products were fully characterized by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The formation of the σ adducts is the rate-limiting step of these reactions. Because the second-order rate constants correlate linearly with the electrophilicity parameters of the benzhydrylium ions, the determination of the nucleophilicity parameters N and s according to the linear free energy relationship log k 2 (20°C) = s(N + E) was achieved. With these findings, a direct comparison of the nucleophilic reac-

A Lewis acid-triggered zincation allows the regioselective metalation of various chromones and quinolones. In the absence of MgCl(2), a C(3) zincation is observed, whereas in the presence of MgCl(2) or a related Lewis acid, C(2) zincation occurs. Applications to a natural flavone, isoflavone, and quinolone are shown.