A Solvolysis Model for 2-Chloro-2-methyladamantane Based on the Linear Solvation Energy Approach

Solvolysis/dehydrohalogenation rates of 2-chloro-2-methyladamantane (CMA) in 15 hydrogen-bond acidic and/or basic solvents are studied. The rates of reaction in these solvents have been correlated with the solvation equation developed by Kamlet, Abraham, and Taft. The linear solvation energy relationship (LSER) derived from this study is given by the following equation: log k = −5.409 + 2.219 + 2.505α1 − 1.823β1 where , α1, and β1 are the solvation parameters that measure the solvent dipolarity/polarizability, hydrogen-bond acidity (electrophilicity), and hydrogen-bond basicity (nucleophilicity). A high correlation coefficient (r = 0.996, SD = 0.191) was achieved. The cavity term, which includes the Hildebrand parameter for solvent cohesive energy density, δH, was not found to be statistically significant for this reaction substrate. The resulting equation allows calculated rates of reaction in other solvents and provides insight into the reaction pathway. In a previously reported correlation for another tertiary chloride, tert-butyl chloride (TBC), the coefficients for α1 and are significantly larger and the coefficient for is statistically significant. In addition, the coefficient for β1 in the TBC correlation is positive, rather than negative, indicating that the transition states for TBC and CMA are significantly different. These results demonstrate why the uses of simple solvolytic correlation methods may be invalid even for comparisons of similar type substrates, e.g., tertiary chlorides. Also, these results provide confidence in the use of multiple linear regression analysis for predicting solvolytic rates in additional solvents.