. Can. J. Chem. 65, 1689 (1987). Ultraviolet spectral and kinetic measurements are reported for the transformations in aqueous solution undergone by the cyclic iminium ion, the 2-aryl-1-methyl-1-pyrrolinium ion I+. In solutions with pH < 9.5 this ion equilibrates with a ring-opened hydrated form, the protonated 4-methylaminobutyrophenone SH'. The concentration of the latter at equilibrium is small, but it can be observed using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. A kinetic analysis provides a measure of the I' + SH+ equilibrium constant. Values range from 0.06 for 4-methoxyphenyl to 0.17 for 3-chlorophenyl. In acid solutions (pH < 5) the equilibration is slow (half-life = 20 min for phenyl) and pH independent. Above pH 5 this process becomes first order in hydroxide ion. In strongly basic solutions a neutral species is formed in equilibrium with these two cations, with pK(app) for the transformation cations + neutral + H' ranging from 11.8 to 11.3. Spectral arguments imply that the base species is the ring-opened 4-methylaminobutyrophenone S, with less than ten percent of the pseudobase of I' present.ROBERT A. MCCLELLAND et N. ESTHER SEAMAN. Can. J. Chem. 65, 1689 (1987) On a mesure les spectres ultraviolets et la cinetique des transformations que subit I'ion cyclique iminium, I'ion aryl-2 methyl-I pyrrolinium I+, dans des solutions aqueuses. Dans des solutions de,pH < 9 3 , cet ion s'equilibre avec la forme hydratie qui est ouverte, soit la methylamino-4 butyrophinone protonee SH'. A l'equilibre, la concentration de ce compose est faible; toutefois, on peut l'observer par rmn. Une analyse cinetique fournit une mesure de la constante d'iquilibre I+ + SH'. Les valeurs de cette constante varient de 0,06 pour le methoxy-4 phenyle i 0,17 pour le chloro-3 phenyle. Dans des solutions acides (pH < 5), I'equilibre est lent (demi-vie .= 20 min pour le phinyle) et ne depend pas du pH. Au-dessus d'un pH de 5, ce processus devient du premier ordre en ions hydroxydes. Dans des solutions fortement basiques, il se forme une espkce neutre qui est en Cquilibre avec ceux deux cations; le pK(app) pour la transformation des cations + forme neutre + H+ varie de 11,8 B 11,3. Les arguments bases sur les spectres indiquent que I'espkce basique est la methylamino-4 butyrophenone B chaine ouverte S ; il y aurait moins de dix pourcent de la pseudobase de I+ qui serait prisente.[Traduit par la revue]The reversible addition of hydroxide ion to heterocyclic cations is well documented (1). The pseudobase product of this reaction is usually also the tetrahedral adduct of an intramolecular nucleophilic addition to a carbonyl (or acyl) group. Assuch, the pseudobase frequently exists in equilibrium with a ring-opened form, a phenomenon which has been termed "ringchain tautomerism" (I). As part of a program of study of tetrahedral intermediates (2,3) we have investigated a series of cyclic iminium ions I+. This study was prompted by suggestions that nitrosamines derived from nicotine are forming by way of iminium salts, one of which has a st...