The γ-silicon effect. I. Solvent effects on the solvolyses of 2,2- dimethyl-3-(trimethylsilyl)propyl and 3-(aryldimethylsilyl)-2,2- dimethylpropyl p-toluenesulfonates

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/bcsj.72.741

The solvolysis rates of 2,2-dimethyl-3-(trimethylsilyl)propyl and 3- (aryldimethylsilyl)-2,2-dimethylpropyl p-toluenesulfonates were measured in a wide variety of solvents at 45 °C. The solvent effects were analyzed by using the Winstein-Grunwald equation. The solvent effects observed did not give simple linear correlations with the 2-adamantyl Y(OTs) parameter, but showed dispersion behavior in a series of binary solvents. The m values of 0.59-.67 were remarkably lower than unity for the limiting k(c) solvolysis of 2-adamantyl p-toluenesulfonate. The deviation patterns could not be interpreted in terms of nucleophilic assistance by the solvent. The dispersion behavior with reduced m values was found to be more significant for the 3-(aryldimethylsilyl) than for the 3-(trimethylsilyl) derivatives and was compatible with the delocalization of the incipient cationic charge by participation of the Si-Cγ bond in the rate-determining step. An extended dual-parameter treatment, log (k/k(80E)) = m(c)Y(OTs) + m(Δ)Y(Δ), successfully correlated such γ-silyl assisted solvolyses. The M(Δ) values of 0.24-0.49 so obtained, where M(Δ) = 0.51 m(Δ)/(m(c) +0.51 m(Δ)), are a measure of the extent of charge delocalization, suggesting that the γ-silyl group in the percaudal interaction is more effective in delocalizing the cationic charge than the alkyl group in C-C σ-participation, but less so than σ-assisted interaction by the β-aryl group.