Proximal effect of the nitrogen bases in the oxidative decarboxylation of phenylsulfinylacetic acids by oxo(salen)chromium(V) complexes

Electrophilic and nucleophilic pathways in ligand oxide mediated reactions of phenylsulfinylacetic acids with oxo(salen)chromium(V) complexes

The mechanism of oxidative decarboxylation of phenylsulfinylacetic acids (PSAA) by oxo(salen)Cr(V)+ ion in the presence of ligand oxides has been studied spectrophotometrically in acetonitrile medium. Addition of ligand oxides (LO) causes a red shift in the λ max values of oxo(salen) complexes and an increase in absorbance with the concentration of LO along with a clear isobestic point. The reaction shows first-order dependence on oxo(salen)-chromium(V)+ ion and fractional-order dependence on PSAA and ligand oxide. Michaelis-Menten kinetics without kinetic saturation was observed for the reaction. The order of reactivity among the ligand oxides is picoline N-oxide > pyridine N-oxide > triphenylphosphine oxide. The low catalytic activity of TPPO was rationalized. Both electron-withdrawing and electron-donating substituents in the phenyl ring of PSAA facilitate the reaction rate. The Hammett plots are non-linear upward type with negative ρ value for electron-donating substituents, (ρ - = -0.740 to -4.10) and positive ρ value for electron-withdrawing substituents (ρ + = +0.057 to +0.886). Non-linear Hammett plot is explained by two possible mechanistic scenarios, electrophilic and nucleophilic attack of oxo(salen)chromium(V)+-LO adduct on PSAA as the substituent in PSAA is changed from electron-donating to electron-withdrawing. The linearity in the log k vs. E ox plot confirms single-electron transfer (SET) mechanism for PSAAs with electron-donating substituents.