A Spectrophotometric Study of 4-Nitro-, 2,4-Dinitro- and 2,4,6-Trinitrobenzyl Carbanions. Decarboxylation of (Nitrophenyl)acetate Anions

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00177a004

A spectrophotometric study of the reactions of the potassium salts of (2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)acetic acid (3), (2,4-dinitrophenyl)acetic acid (4), and (4-nitrophenyl)acetic acid (5) in Me2SO, THF, and DME is reported, including the effect of catalysis by crown ether 1.These processes are believed to give rise to the corresponding carbanions resulting from decarboxylation.The UV-visible spectrum of the species obtained from reaction of 3 agrees well with literature data for the expected carbanion 6, but there is some discrepancy regarding the species derived from 4 and 5.From the decay of the absorption spectra with time, the stabilities of the benzyl carbanions in these systems correspond to 2,4,6-trinitrobenzyl > 2,4-dinitrobenzyl > 4-nitrobenzyl.