Anchoring the gas-phase acidity scale: From formic acid to methanethiol

Abstract

We have measured the gas-phase acidities of nine compounds: formic acid, acetic acid, 1,3-propanedithiol, 2-methyl-2-propanethiol, 3-methyl-1-butanethiol, 2-propanethiol, 1-propanethiol, ethanethiol, and methanethiol, with acidities ranging from 338.6 to 351.1 kcal mol −1 using proton transfer kinetics and the resulting equilibrium constants. These acids were anchored to the well-known acidity of hydrogen sulfide; the measured acidities are in good agreement with previous experimental values, but error bars are significantly reduced. The gas-phase acidity of 3-methyl-1-butanethiol was determined to be 347.1 (5) kcal mol −1; there were no previous measurements of this value. Entropies of deprotonation were calculated and enthalpies of deprotonation were determined.