ISSN:
0894-3230
Keywords:
Organic Chemistry
;
Physical Chemistry
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Physics
Notes:
The spontaneous hydrolysis of p-nitrobenzyl cellulose xanthate (CelXNB) with a degree of substitution (DS) in the range 2-9 was studied in 10% aqueous ethanol at pH 10, and was followed spectrophotometrically by the appearance of p-nitro-α-toluenethiol, in a continuous-flow system where the reactor was shaken. CelXNB was characterized by solid-state 13C NMR spectra. The reaction occurs through two parallel processes due to two xanthate ester groups with different reactivities. The fast hydrolysis was ascribed to the reaction of the C-2 + C-3 isomers, whereas the slow hydrolysis was due to the C-6 isomer. The percentage of the latter is much higher than C-2 + C-3. The solvent isotope effect of the fast hydrolysis (k′H2O/)k′H2D 11 was 2·22 ± 0·16 and the proton inventory indicated that there is only one proton transfer involved in the transition state, where a second water (or a neighbouring OH group) acts as a general base. The entropy of activation of the fast hydrolysis was only 3·3 ± 0·8 e.u., suggesting that the water molecules involved are highly oriented with respect to the coordinates required to reach the transition state. It is proposed that they form part of the three-dimensional hydrogen-bonded ice-like structure that involves the cellulose matrix.
Additional Material:
5 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/poc.610070604
