Product-Rate Correlations for Solvolyses of 2,4-Dimethoxybenzenesulfonyl Chloride

The solvolysis rate constants of 2,4-dimethoxybenzenesulfonyl chloride (1) in 30 different solvents are well correlated with the extended Grunwald-Winstein equation, using the $N_T$ solvent nucleophilicity scale and $Y_{Cl}$ solvent ionizing scale, with sensitivity values of $0.93{\pm}0.14$ and $0.65{\pm}0.06$ for l and m, respectively. These l and m values can be considered to support a $S_N2$ reaction pathway. The activation enthalpies (${\Delta}H^{\neq}$) were 12.4 to $14.6kcal{\cdot}mol^{-1}$ and the activation entropies (${\Delta}S^{\neq}$) were -15.5 to -$32.3kcal{\cdot}mol^{-1}{\cdot}K^{-1}$, which is consistent with the proposed bimolecular reaction mechanism. The solvent kinetic isotope effects (SKIE) were 1.74 to 1.86, which is also in accord with the $S_N2$ mechanism and was possibly assisted using a general-base catalysis. The values of product selectivity (S) for solvolyses of 1 in alcohol/water mixtures was 0.57 to 6.5, which is also consistent with the proposed bimolecular reaction mechanism. Third-order rate constants, $k_{ww}$ and $k_{aa}$, were calculated from the rate constants ($k_{obs}$), together with $k_{aw}$ and $k_{wa}$ calculated from the intercept and slope of the plot of 1/S vs. [water]/[alcohol]. The calculated rate constants, $k_{calc}$ ($k_{ww}$, $k_{aw}$, $k_{wa}$ and $k_{aa}$), are in satisfactory agreement with the experimental values, supporting the stoichiometric solvation effect analysis.