title: Stable simple enols. Self-catalyzed E/Z-isomerization of the sterically crowded 2-(m-methoxymesityl)-1,2-dimesitylethenol.
abstract: (E)-2-(m-methoxymesityl)-1,2-dimesitylethenol (3a) isomerizes in the absence of a catalyst in solution to a 1.0:0.9 E/Z (3a/3b) equilibrium mixture. In CDCl3 the isomerization is first order in 3a within a run, but the plot of the rate constant k(obs) vs the changing [3a]0 in different runs is a half-parabola, indicating self-catalysis by more than one enol molecule. At 0.09 M enol, the isotope effect k(3a)/k(3a)-OD = 2.1. In the presence of 0.025-0.25 M pyridine-d5, the k(obs) vs [pyridine-d5] plot displays a bell-shaped profile. The change in the shape of the OH signals of the 3a/3b mixture at 295-430 K in C6D5NO2 was followed by DNMR. The four signals of the diastereomeric 3a/3b mixture observed at 330 K coalesce at 350 K with barriers of 18.3 and 18.4 kcal x mol(-1) due to the diastereomerization of the vinyl propellers. The resulting two signals observed at >360 K further coalesce at 425 K with a barrier of 22.9 kcal x mol(-1) due either to oxygen-to-oxygen proton exchange or to E/Z isomerization. The estimated upper limit for the rate of proton exchange of k(ex) < or = (2-4) x 10(3) M(-1) x s(-1) at 425 K between the enol molecules is sufficiently slow to be a rate-controlling step in the isomerization. A process in which several enol molecules catalyze the isomerization is suggested, and several mechanistic routes are analyzed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Chemistry, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
authors.forename: Elimelech
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rochlin
authors.forename: Zvi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rappoport