Studies in solvolysis. Part II. Some comments on the ion-pair mechanism for displacements at a primary carbon atom

Abstract

The implication of Sneen and co-workers (2–5) that all SN2 substitutions at a primary carbon atom probably proceed via the intermediate production of an intimate ion-pair is examined with respect to the reactions of the methyl halides (MeX; X = F, Cl, Br, I) with various nucleophiles (H2O, OH−, F−, Cl−, Br−, I−, CN−, CSN−, S2O32−) in water. By establishing certain rules concerning the behavior of derived reactivity scales (essentially ρ values) as contrasted with absolute reactivity scales (observed rate constants), it is concluded that Sneen and Larsen's mechanistic description is consistent with the experimental facts, and that in such cases the substitution process involves a pre-equilibrium constant, Ke, which is independent of the attacking nucleophile. This is followed by a rate determining bimolecular rate constant, kn, which depends on the ion pair and the nature of the nucleophile. The observed rate (k°) is given by k = Kekn. A method of calculating Ke is described and values of kn for nine nucleophiles attacking the four methyl halide ion-pairs are reported along with a number of confirmatory calculations. It is concluded that the classical Hughes–Ingold SN2 Heitler–London description of these reactions is inadequate. Some further suggestions to place the new mechanistic description on a firmer experimental basis are made.