Propanolysis of arenesulfonyl chlorides: Nucleophilic substitution at sulfonyl sulfur

Abstract

We have studied the mechanism of solvolysis of arenesulfonyl chlorides by propan‐1‐ol and propan‐2‐ol at 303‐323 K. Kinetic profiles were appropriately fit by first‐order kinetics. Reactivity increases with electron‐donating substituents. Ortho‐alkyl substituted derivatives of arenesulfonyl chlorides show increased reactivity, but the origin of this “positive” ortho‐effect remains unclear. Likely, ortho‐methyl groups restrict rotation around the C‐S bond, facilitating the attack of the nucleophile. No relevant reactivity changes have been found with propan‐1‐ol and propan‐2‐ol in terms of nucleophile steric effect. The existence of isokinetic relationships for all substrates suggests a single mechanism for the series. Solvolysis reactions of all substrates in both alcohols show isokinetic temperatures (Tiso) close to the working temperature range, which is an evidence of the process being influenced by secondary reactivity factors, likely of steric nature in the TS. Solvation plays a relevant role in this reaction, modulating the reactivity. In some cases, the presence of t‐Bu instead of Me in para‐ position leads to changes in the first solvation shell, increasing the energy of the reaction (ca. 1 kJ·mol−1). The obtained results suggest the same kinetic mechanism of solvolysis of arenesulfonyl chlorides for propan‐1‐ol and propan‐2‐ol, as in MeOH and EtOH, where bimolecular nucleophilic substitution (SN2) takes place with nucleophilic solvent assistance of one alcohol molecule and the participation of the solvent network involving solvent molecules of the first solvation shell.