Comparative nucleophilic reactivities in carboxylate, phosphinate, and thiophosphate esters cleavage

Nucleophilic substitution reaction of p‐nitrophenyl acetate (PNPA), p‐nitrophenyldiphenyl phosphinate, and pesticide parathion with different α‐nucleophiles [I] have been studied at 27 °C in different pH in the presence of a novel cationic surfactant. The kinetic study was performed spectrophotometrically under pseudo‐first order conditions with the α‐nucleophile in excess. The pKa of nucleophiles have also been determined by kinetic method. In the presence of surfactant, the rate constant increased with increasing surfactant concentration up to a limiting value. This behavior has been analyzed in quantitative terms on the basis of pseudo‐phase model of micellar catalysis. Finally the nucleophilic reactivity of hydroxamate ions has been compared with other α‐nucleophiles, like oxime, hydroxybenzotriazole, and 2‐iodosobenzoic acid (IBA). The order of cleavage of electrophilic centers, that is, CO, PO, and PS have also been discussed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.