Solvolysis of 4-acyloxy-3-nitrobenzoic acid substrates catalyzed by polyethylenimine derivatives

The solvolytic reactions of anionic activated esters (S n − ) catalyzed by dodecane-block-poly[ethylenimine-graft-4(5)-methylimidazole] and related model compounds were investigated. Hydrolysis of 4-acetyl-3-nitrobenzoic acid (S 2 − ) as a function of pH suggested that electrostatic interactions are operative only in the higher molecular weight polymers. Apolar interactions were evident from the greater catalytic rates observed for the hydrolysis of a series of 4-acetoxy-3-nitrobenzoic acid substrates (S n − ). The largest rate enhancements were reflected by catalysts that make effective use of the electrostatic interaction and also provide an apolar binding site. Dodecane-block-poly[ethylenimine-graft-4(5)-methylimidazole], with a DP = 85, catalyzed hydrolysis of S n − (n = 2, 4, and 7), in excess substrate, exhibited saturation kinetics and followed a simple Michaelis-Menten-type mechanism. Inhibition of the catalyst in the hydrolysis of S 12 − was observed and can be rationalized by analogy to certain multisite enzymatic reactions.