The rate of deprotonation of the 2-methyl group in 1,2,3-trimethylpyrazinium ion by carboxylate, aniline, and pyridine bases has been measured in D20. Carboxylate ions containing bulky groups near the reaction centre, e.g. ortho benzoates, react faster than predicted by the Bransted equation that correlates the reactions of unhindered carboxylates. Anilines and pyridines, on the other hand, show conventional steric effects. A tentative explanation for the activation engendered by groups adjacent to the carboxylate centre is based on the known effect that high concentrations of organic electrolytes have on the strengths of carboxylic acids but not of amines. Since ortho carboxylate ions have their relative basicities increased by an alkyl-rich environment, it is argued that the reactive methyl groups of the substrate might provide such an interaction in the transition state.
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