. J. Chem. 66, 2440Chem. 66, (1988.Rates of proton transfer from acetaldehyde to the hydroxide ion were measured by iodine scavenging in H 2 0 and in D 2 0 solution at 25OC; the results give the solvent isotope effect kHo-/koo-= 0.73 * 0.02. This value is somewhat more consistent with an estimate, made using fractionation factor theory, for hydron transfer directly from the substrate to the hydroxide ion than with another estimate, made similarly, for hydron transfer through an intervening water molecule. J. R. KEEFFE et A. J. KRESGE. Can. J. Chem. 66, 2440 (1988.On a mesurC les vitesses de transfert du proton de l'acttaldthyde a l'ion hydroxyde en utilisant I'iode comme pikge dans I'eau et dans une solution de D 2 0 a 25°C. On obtient dans ces conditions un effet isotopique du solvant de kHo-/koo-= 0,73 * 0,02.Cette valeur se rapproche davantage de I'tvaluation faite, selon la thCorie du facteur de fractionnement, pour le transfert direct de l'hydron du substrat vers l'ion hydroxyde, que d'une autre Cvaluation faite de la meme faqon, pour le transfert de l'hydron via la participation d'une moltcule d'eau.[Traduit par la revue]There is much current interest in simple enols (for reviews, see ref. 1) and, in our recent examination of some of the chemistry of the simplest en01 of all, vinyl alcohol, we determined the solvent deuterium isotope effect on the hydroniumion-catalyzed formation of this substance from acetaldehyde, eq. [I] (2). We now wish to report the results of a companion study, which provides the solvent isotope effect on the reaction of acetaldehyde with hydroxide ion to give the enolate ion, e q 121.
ExperimentalRates of reaction of acetaldehyde with hydroxide ion were measured as before (2) by using iodine to scavenge the enolate ion product as it formed. Initial stoichiometric aldehyde and iodine concentrations in the reaction mixtures were ca. 2 X M and 1 X M respectively. Reactions were followed to completion; the data obeyed the first-order rate law well, and observed first-order rate constants were calculated by least-squares fitting to an exponential function (3). Hydroxide ion concentrations were determined by acidimetric titration of spent reaction solutions.