Structure and efficiency in intramolecular and enzymic catalysis. Catalysis of amide hydrolysis by the carboxy-group of substituted maleamic acids

The efficiency of intramolecular catalysis of amide hydrolysis by the carboxy-group of a series of substituted N-methylmaleamic acids is remarkably sensitive to the pattern of substitution on the carbon–carbon double bond. A single alkyl group increases the rate of hydrolysis by a factor which increases with its size. A second alkyl substituent has a disproportionately larger effect, which is sharply reduced when the two groups are joined together in a ring. The rates of hydrolysis of a series of dialkyl-N-methylmaleamic acids range over more than ten powers of ten, and the 'effective concentration' of the carboxy-group of the most reactive compound studied is greater than 1010M. This amide, dimethyl-N-n-propylmaleamic acid, is converted into the more stable dimethylmaleic anhydride with a half-life of less than 1s at 39 °C below pH 3. The mechanism of catalysis, and the factors responsible for this extremely high reactivity, are discussed.