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The solvation effects observed in water-organic solutions were studied by combining data for reaction kinetics and dissolution equilibria by means of a linear free-energy (similarity) analysis. Kinetic data for the pH-independent hydrolysis of (4-methoxyphenyl)-2,2-dichloroacetate measured in this work and solubility data for naphthalene, and other substrates of low polarity, in aqueous binary mixtures of methanol, ethanol, acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and 1,4-dioxane were used. Linear similarity relationships were discovered for these data over the full range of solvent compositions studied. To gain insight into the similarities observed between these different phenomena, molecular dynamics simulations were carried out for naphthalene and an ester in water–acetonitrile solutions. The results revealed considerable preferential solvation of these substrates by the co-solvent. Linear relationships between the experimental data and the mole fractions of acetonitrile in the solvation shells of substrates were found. Surprisingly, a linear relationship was found between the mole fractions of acetonitrile in the solvation shells of the ester and naphthalene. This linearity indicated that a similar solvation mechanism governs even such different phenomena as dissolution and reaction kinetics. The relationships between the experimental data and the results of the molecular dynamics calculations found in this work explained the solvent effect observed in water-organic solutions on the molecular level. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The kinetics of the reaction of n-butyl- and isopropylmagnesium chloride with alkyltriethoxysilanes (RSi(OEt)3) in diethyl ether were determined. The rate constants correlate well with the steric p...

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of the structure of ethyl acetate solutions in two water–ethanol mixtures was performed at 280 and 330 K. The MD simulations revealed that ethyl acetate was preferentially solvated by ethanol, water being mainly located in the next solvation layer. With increasing temperature ethanol was gradually replaced by water in the first solvation shell. These findings explain the decrease in the rate of ester hydrolysis with increasing molar ratio of ethanol in the solution as the reaction rate was linearly dependent on the relative ethanol content in the first solvation shell of the ester. Predominance of ethanol results in decreased polarity and water activity in the shell and accordingly in a decreased reaction rate. Based on the results of the MD simulations, the principal conclusion of this work is that ultrasound enhances the kinetic energy (the effective temperature) of species in the solution and, in this way, evokes shifts in the solvation equilibria thus affecting the reaction rate. It appears that ultrasound does not completely break down the solvent shells or clusters in the solution as previously believed. Phenomena of thermo-solvatochromism and reaction rate levelling by ultrasound in binary solvents are described.

Available quantitative data of the reactivity of organosilicon compounds were subjected to correlation analysis. As an alternative to the carbon chemistry values, the scale of steric constants E S (Si) can be used for organosilicon compounds and the inductive effect is best expressed by two terms, involving the parameter of electronegativity of substituents. Alkyl substituents contribute to the reactivity exclusively through their steric effects, steric and polar effects in silicon compounds are additive and the resonance effect is insignificant. The correlation analysis can be employed in investigations of organosilicon reactions along with other methods.

The kinetics of a tetraethoxysilane reaction with n-butylmagnesium chloride, stoichiometrically monosolvated with isopropyl ether or with methyl tert-butyl ether, was studied in toluene. The pseudo–first-order rate constants determined at a great excess of Grignard reagent were used for separation of the appropriate equilibrium and rate constants. Equilibrium constants for five alkyl ether ligands at the magnesium center are in an excellent correlation with isosteric ES(Si) parameters. It was concluded that these constants should be applicable to all elements of the third period of the periodic table.

Kinetic effects of sonication on ester hydrolysis and tert-butyl chloride solvolysis, studied in ethanol–water binary solvent, are discussed in terms of quantitative relationships between their magnitude and the hydrophobicity of reagents. A number of conclusions were drawn from the observed linear free-energy (LFE) relationships. Independent of reaction mechanism, the decrease in reaction rates with increasing ethanol content in the solvent is mainly due to hydrophobic stabilization of the ground state. While hydrophobic species can be hidden in the ethanol clusters present in the region XEtOH > 0.15, at lower ethanol contents hydrophobic reagents are weakly solvated and the hydrophobic stabilization can be easily overcome by sonication. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Kinetics of tetraethoxysilane reaction with n-butylmagnesium chloride, specifically solvated with dibutyl ether, diethyl ether, THF, and triethylamine, was studied in toluene. Also isopropylmagnesium chloride, isopropyltriethoxysilane, and diisopropylketone were involved in a similar investigation. The pseudo-first-order rate constants determined at a great excess of these organomagnesium compounds were used for separation of the appropriate equilibrium and rate constants. An advantage of the method consists in preclusion of non-specific solvation effects when effects of donor solvents are considered. In separate experiments, thermodynamic parameters were determined for rate and equilibrium constants, measured for the reaction of tetraethoxysilane with n-butylmagnesium chloride solvated with dibutyl ether in toluene, and also in bulk dibutyl ether. The implication of steric and solvation effects on this reaction is discussed.

Kinetics of reactions of ethyl- and phenylmagnesium chlorides with chlorosilanes, RMeSiCl 2 , were investigated in diethyl ether under pseudo-first order conditions with a great excess of the Grignard reagent. Rate constants for alkyl substituted silanes correlate well with E s (Si) steric parameters. A good linear correlation of rate data for substituted phenyl derivates with σ 0 inductive constants together with correlations of the literature data rule out the resonance effect of substituents at least in nucleophilic displacement reactions at the silicon center. An attempt to calculate the steric constants for polar substituents was made. It appeared that the inductive constants σ ∗ derived from the carbon chemistry are not applicable to the silicon chemistry. New scales of parameters for description of polar and steric effects in the organosilicon chemistry need to be created.

The kinetics of KCN-catalyzed benzoin condensation of benzaldehyde in water and ethanol-water binary mixtures was investigated both under ultrasound at 22 kHz and without sonication. Thermodynamic activation parameters were calculated from kinetic data obtained at 35, 50, and 65 degrees C. Evidence that ultrasound can retard reactions is reported and hence a direct proof that sonochemical processes occur in the bulk solution. Former results and literature data for ester hydrolyses and tert-butyl chloride solvolysis are involved in the discussion. A quantitative relationship between sonication effects and the hydrophobicity of reagents is presented for the first time. Ultrasound affects hydrophobic interactions with the solvent, which are not manifested in conventional kinetics. When it suppresses the stabilization of the encounter complexes between reagents, sonication hinders the reaction but accelerates it when it perturbs the hydrophobic stabilization of the ground state of a reagent.

Rate constants for the reactions of methylvinyldichlorosilane and tetraethoxysilane with alkylmagnesium chlorides RMgCl (R = Et, n-Bu, i-Bu, i-Pr, s-Bu, t-Bu) in diethyl ether were determined. Excellent correlations of rate data with steric constants ES(Si) by Cartledge and v′ by Charton were found for the reaction of methylvinyldichlorosilane. Linear correlations with break points were obtained for the tetraethoxysilane reaction. It was assumed that this could be referred to a change in the reaction mechanism.

Grignard reactions with alkoxysilanes or carbonyl compounds produce alkoxymagnesium halides as by-products. Kinetic measurements for reactions of silanes and of a ketone were performed with Grignard reagents, enriched in alkoxymagnesium halides and taken in a great excess. The alkoxide-type reaction products complex tightly with Grignard reagents and enhance in this way their nucleophilicity, thus accelerating the reaction. However, alkoxides branched at α-C atom exert an unfavorable steric hindrance to reaction resulting in a decrease in the reaction rate.

Formation reactions of phenylmagnesium chloride and bromide in toluene in the presence of one or two equivalents of diethyl ether or THF were investigated kinetically. Also, the reaction in diethyl ether and in chlorobenzene was addressed. Kinetic features of the reactions are similar to those found previously for the formation of alkylmagnesium halides in toluene and consist of rapid formation of a disolvated Grignard reagent followed by a slower formation of a monosolvated reagent. The latter is able of catalyzing the conversion of different halides into Grignard reagents. However, the contribution of Wurtz-type side reactions is considerable except when THF is used in toluene. Involving the kinetic data and the activation parameters some details of the reaction mechanism were discussed.

Kinetics of the reactions of phenylmagnesium chloride and bromide and diphenylmagnesium with chlorosilanes were investigated in tetrahydrofurane (THF) and in THF-hydrocarbon mixtures. The reaction in THF is much faster than that in diethyl ether. Assuming coordination of magnesium halides with three molecules of THF, concentrations of all the species involved in Schlenk equilibrium were calculated. In the Grignard reaction, species R(2)Mg and RMgX react competitively accompanied by additional reaction paths involving electrophilic catalysis by magnesium halide. This conclusion also proved to be valid for the Grignard reaction with a ketone and probably can be expanded to any Grignard reaction. When Schlenk equilibrium is shifted far to the RMgX species, the catalytic pathways are insignificant. Substituents at the silicon center control the rate of the reaction through their inductive and steric effects.

The complexation of MgX 2 , MeMgX, and Me 2 Mg (X=Cl, Br) with propyne have been studied both in the gas phase and in the presence of dimethyl ether (Me 2 O) by means of the density functional theory B3LYP/6-31+G* method. Solvation was modeled using the supermolecule approach. The complex formation between disolvated magnesium compound and alkyne is connected with replacement of a coordinated solvent molecule by the alkyne, being necessary for the reaction to proceed to the end. The reaction towards end products, an acetylenic Grignard reagent and an alkane, is exothermic. The transition state has a cyclic structure, which is almost triangular with practically linear proton transfer. The transition state resembles more the reagents than the products.

The Schlenk equilibrium involving RMgX, R2Mg, and MgX2 (R = Me, Et, Ph and X = Cl, Br) has been studied both in the gas phase and in diethyl ether (Et2O) and tetrahydrofuran (THF) solutions by means of the density functional theory (DFT) B3LYP/6-31+G* method. Solvation was modeled using the supermolecule approach. The stabilization due to interaction with solvent molecules decreases in the order MgX2 > RMgX > R2Mg and among the groups (R and X) Ph > Me > Et and Cl > Br. Studied magnesium compounds are more strongly solvated by THF compared to Et2O. The magnesium halide is solvated with up to four solvent molecules in THF solution, assuming that trans-dihalotetrakis(tetrahydrofurano)magnesium(II) complex forms. The formation of cis-dihalotetrakis(tetrahydrofurano)magnesium(II) is energetically less favorable than the formation of corresponding disolvated complexes. The predominant species in the Schlenk equilibrium are RMgX in Et2O and R2Mg + MgX2 in THF, which is consistent with experimental data.

We have investigated the kinetics of the acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of ethyl, propyl, and butyl acetates in aqueous binary mixtures of ethanol and of 1,4-dioxane without sonication and under ultrasound at 22 kHz. Various rate enhancements were found in the region from pure water up to 50 wt % ethanol and 60 wt % dioxane. The calorimetric measurements performed in the same region indicated an insignificant effect of the solvent composition on the ultrasonic power. It was concluded that the sonochemical acceleration of ester hydrolysis in ethanol-water and 1,4-dioxane-water mixtures may be interrelated with the destruction of the molecular structure of the binary solvent and essentially with the perturbation of hydrophobic solute-solvent interactions. The ultrasonic acceleration of polar homogeneous reactions takes place in the bulk reaction medium. This implies the presence of acoustic-field sonochemistry besides the generally accepted hot-spot sonochemistry.

Ratios of the yields of addition and reduction products for the reactions of butylmagnesium chloride with diisopropyl ketone, methyl 2-methylpropanoate, and isopropyl 2-methylpropanoate in toluene were determined at different THF, diethyl ether, and tert-butyl methyl ether contents in the Grignard reagent. Replacement of the alkoxy group in the ester leads to strikingly different results for very small additions of donors. The results are discussed in terms of the solvation of the species in the reaction mixture.

Kinetic studies were carried out on the reaction of phenylmagnesium bromide with hex-1-yne in diethyl ether, and in binary mixtures of diethyl ether with toluene, chlorobenzene and dichloromethane. The reaction was accelerated by addition of non-donating solvents. The replacement of a coordinated solvent molecule by the alkyne is necessary for the reaction to proceed, according to density functional theory (DFT) calculations with B3LYP/6–31 + G* method. The non-donating solvents accelerate the reaction by shifting the replacement equilibrium in favour of the complex formation. An analysis in terms of the Koppel–Palm equation revealed a rate decrease with increase in solvent polarity and polarizability. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Grignard reagents were prepared from chloroalkanes and chlorobenzene in toluene in the presence of one or 0.5 equivalents of various organic bases (ethers and amines). Reagents with an average monosolvation can be obtained in high yields from primary or secondary alkyl chlorides and chlorobenzene. Diethyl ether is the most effective donor, in that it affords the reagents with a very small content of base. The kinetics of the reactions of n-butylmagnesium chloride in diethyl ether, and of this Grignard reagent monosolvated with the ether in toluene, with alkylalkoxysilanes were investigated. Reactivity of the partially solvated reagent greatly exceeds that of the conventional Grignard reagent. Yields of addition and reduction reactions of mono- and semi-solvated n-butylmagnesium chlorides in toluene with a ketone, an aldehyde, and two esters were determined. The partially solvated reagents afford the addition products (tertiary alcohols) in yields better than, or at least comparable to, those obtained with the conventional Grignard reagents.

The solvation, complexation, and disproportionation equilibria, which might be important during titration of a Grignard reagent RMgX with an alcohol in the presence of 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), have been studied both in the gas phase and solution using the density functional theory (DFT) B3LYP/6-31+G* method. Solvation was modeled using the supermolecule approach. NBO atomic charge analyses were performed at the B3LYP/6-31G* level. The absorption spectra of the complexes were calculated by the DFT TD/MPW1PW91/6-311+G** method. According to our calculations the complexation of magnesium halide MgX2 with 1,10-phenanthroline is the reason for the disappearance of the red color of the complex RMgX(phen) near the titration end point.

Kinetics of the acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of ethyl acetate in ethanol-water binary solutions were investigated without sonication and under ultrasound at 22 kHz. Rate enhancements by 1.03-2.4 times were found with a minimum at 18 wt.% and a maximum at 45 wt.% of ethanol. The results suggest that ultrasonic acceleration of the reaction may be interrelated to the perturbation of the molecular structure of the binary solvent.

A revision of quantitative literature data for the reactivity of organosilicon compounds in light of conceptions stemmed from organic chemistry has been carried out. It has been found that in structure-reactivity analysis for organosilicon compounds, differently of carbon compounds, the inductive effect of substituents, at least in nucleophilic displacement reactions at silicon, must be expressed by two terms involving that for electronegativity. A protocol for the correlation analysis in organosilicon chemistry is now available.

Kinetics of the reaction between acetylene and phenylmagnesium bromide were investigated in diethyl ether in the presence of small additions of triethylamine and without a catalyst. The mechanistic scheme suggested by Grignard et al. was supplemented with the reaction of bromomagnesiumacetylene with the Grignard reagent. The rate constants for individual reactions were determined. Triethylamine catalyzes the reactions to different extents, the conversions of bromomagnesiumacetylene being the most susceptible to the catalysis. The possible ways of the action of the catalyst were discussed and the importance of nucleophilic assistance was stressed.

Kinetic studies were carried out on the aminolysis reactions of substituted aliphatic esters in a variety of aprotic solvents. The reaction rate is strongly affected by inductive and steric effects of substituents in the acyl group, rising more than 104-fold from cyanoacetate to trifluoroacetate. The quantitative treatment of solvent effects revealed a rate decrease by the polarity and π-basicity of the solvents, and also an accelerating effect of the polarizability of solvents. Cyclic transition states were assumed for both the first and second-order (in amine) reactions. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ratios of the yields of addition and reduction products for the reactions of n-butylmagnesium chloride and bromide with diisopropyl ketone in toluene were determined at different THF, diethyl ether and methyl tertbutyl ether (MTBE) contents in the Grignard reagent. The reduction reaction yield is a maximum at the molar ratio 0.1 of THF or diethyl ether to the Grignard reagent. The addition reaction has a maximum in the region of 0.3–0.4 for the same ethers and about 1.5 for MTBE. The ratio Add/Red for conventional Grignard reagents is lower than that for partially solvated reagents. The results were discussed in terms of the solvation of the species in the reaction mixture. The decisive role of the steric requirements of the reagents over their intrinsic acid-base properties was demonstrated. Partially solvated Grignard reagents can serve as tools for the investigation of solvent effects in the Grignard reaction.