Secondary α hydrogen–deuterium kinetic isotope effects in the syn-elimination reaction of 2-phenylethyldimethylamine oxide

Abstract

The secondary α-deuterium kinetic isotope effect has been measured for the thermal reaction of 2-phenylethyldimethylamine oxide in 90 mol% DMSO–H2O at 60.0 °C. A large secondary α-deuterium isotope effect of 1.158 per α-D was found, which indicates significant [Formula: see text] bond rupture and very little double bond formation at the transition state for this concerted syn-elimination process. The observed large normal value for (kH/kD)α is discussed in terms of the use of secondary α-D isotope effects for the determination of stereochemistry for a concerted elimination process. Various isotope effects found for the syn elimination of the above amine oxide and those for the anti elimination of 2-arylethyltrimethylammonium salts with ethoxide are considered with respect to the relative transition state structures for syn- and anti-elimination reactions.