On the Basicity of Organic Bases in Different Media

The basicities of simple organic bases – aliphatic and aromatic amines, amidines, phosphazenes, as well as saturated and unsaturated nitrogen heterocycles – are examined in acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide, tetrahydrofuran, water and the gas phase. The basicities (p K aH values) of conjugate acids of a large variety of bases in these media are presented and discussed. Equations employing easily usable structural descriptors have been derived for approximately converting basicities from acetonitrile to other solvents. Recommendations are given on their practical use and a number of p K aH values that are experimentally unavailable are estimated from these relationships. An important part of the minireview is a large compilation of p K aH and GB values of the compounds in solvents and the gas phase, respectively, as well as the revised basicity scale in acetonitrile, now containing more than 270 p K aH values.