THE TRANSMISSION OF POLAR EFFECTS: PART III. THE KINETICS OF THE ACID-CATALYZED ESTERIFICATION OF 3-SUBSTITUTED ACRYLIC ACIDS AND THE ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS OF THE METHYL ESTERS

The rate coefficients for the acid-catalyzed esterification in methanol at 35.0° of fourteen 3-substituted acrylic acids have been determined. Rate coefficients have also been determined for the alkaline hydrolysis in 70% v/v dioxin–water at 18.8° of 13 methyl esters and the carbonyl-stretching frequencies of the esters have been examined. The effect of trans-substitution is assessed by use of the Hammett equation. In the alkaline hydrolysis, the transmission of polar effects is approximately 1.9 that of the meta- and para-substituted benzoates. An analysis of the steric effects in the cis-isomers in both reactions shows that the steric effects of the halogeno-substituents in the two reactions differ and an explanation is offered. The application of the Taft–Ingold equation to ortho-substituted benzoates is criticized. The carbonyl-stretching frequencies of the cis-halogeno-esters exhibit a shift of +8 cm−1 compared with the trans-isomers; this shift is attributed to an electrostatic effect.