The kinetics of the methanolysis of seven methyl aryl carbonates (3) and two methyl alkyl carbonates (4) promoted by [12[ane]N3:Zn:(OCH 3 )] + and [La 2 (OCH 3 ) 2 ] 4+ catalysts (1 and 2, respectively) have been studied at 25.0°C. Brønsted plots of the log k 2 obs values for methanolysis versus aryloxy and alkoxy leaving group (LG) s s pK a HOAr or s s pK a HOR values (the pK a values of the parent ArOH or ROH in methanol) for substrates 3 and 4 show an apparent downward break at s s pK a ϳ16.6 and 15.2 with [12[ane]N3:Zn:(OCH 3 )] + and [La 2 (OCH 3 ) 2 ] 4+ , respectively. The breakpoint is not due to a change in rate-limiting step in a two-step process involving metal ion delivery of a coordinated methoxide to a transiently associated substrate and the subsequent breakdown of a tetrahedral intermediate to form product. The more satisfactory explanation is that the break arises when one correlates the rate constants for two dissimilar sets of substrates, namely aryloxy-and alkoxy-substituted 3 and 4. DFT calculations for the 1-promoted reactions of methyl 4-nitrophenyl carbonate (3b), which has a good aryloxy leaving group, and methyl isopropyl carbonate (4b), which has a relatively poor alkyl one, indicate that the catalyzed processes involve two steps. Accordingly, the methanolysis of all 3 having s s pK a HOAr values for the parent phenols ≤15.3 involves rate-limiting nucleophilic attack and fast breakdown. For the isopropyl alkyl derivative (4b) having a s s pK a HOR > 18.13, the rate-liming step is the metal ion promoted breakdown of a tetrahedral intermediate. The catalytic system employing 2 has utility for the catalytic decomposition of poly(bisphenol A carbonate). In a semi-optimized system where 1000 mg of poly(bisphenol A carbonate), treated at 100°C for 30 min in 2 mL of 60:40 chloroform−methanol containing La(OTf) 3 :NaOMe (5:7.5 mmol L −1 ), the reaction gave an 84% yield of bisphenol A, corresponding to >300 turnovers per catalyst.Résumé : On étudie la cinétique de la méthanolyse de sept carbonates de méthylaryle (3) et de deux carbonates de méthylalkyle (4) favorisée par les catalyseurs [12[ane]N3:Zn:(OCH 3 )] + et [La 2 (OCH 3 ) 2 ] 4+ (1 et 2 respectivement) à 25,0°C. Les courbes de Brønsted des valeurs du log k 2 obs pour la méthanolyse en fonction des valeurs du s s pK a HOAr ou du s s pK a HOR du groupe partant aryloxy ou alkoxy (les valeurs du pK a du ArOH ou du ROH parent dans le méthanol) pour les substrats 3 et 4 révèlent une apparente rupture à la baisse aux valeurs de ϳ16,6 et 15,2 du s s pK a avec [12[ane]N3:Zn:(OCH 3 )] + et [La 2 (OCH 3 ) 2 ] 4+ , respectivement. Le point de rupture n'est pas attribuable à un changement de l'étape limitant la vitesse dans un processus en deux étapes faisant intervenir la fourniture de l'ion métallique d'un méthoxyde coordonné à un substrat provisoirement associé et la décomposition subséquente d'un intermédiaire tétraédrique pour former le produit. Une explication plus satisfaisante est que la rupture a lieu lorsqu'on établit une corrélation entr...