Kinetics of the reduction of 1-methylquinolinium cations by 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide

The reduction of a series of 3-W-1-methylquinolinium cations (1: W = H, Br, CONH 2 , CO 2 CH 3 , CN, NO 2 ) by 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide has been investigated. In all cases the kinetically controlled product from these reactions is the appropriate 3-W-1,4-dihydro-1-methylquinoline. Only for W = Br is any significant amount of the 1,2-dihydro isomer obtained (15% in this case). This kinetic preference for C-4 attack over C-2 attack in dihydronicotinamide reductions contrasts with the kinetically preferred attack at C-2 by hydroxide ion and in borohydride reductions. Rates of reduction were measured for each 1 and also 1,2-dimethyl- and 1,4-dimethylquinolinium cations in 20% CH 3 CN – 80% H 2 O, ionic strength 1.0 at 25 ° C, under pseudo-first-order conditions. Kinetic saturation due to nonproductive 1:1 complex formation was observed for several cations at high concentrations (> 0.1 M). Second-order rate constants [Formula: see text] were evaluated for each W, and also kinetic isotope effects from second-order rate constants [Formula: see text] for reduction by 1-benzyl-4,4-dideuterio-1,4-dihydronicotinamide. Second-order rate constants are correlated with σ p − for W with ρ = 4.5, and are also closely correlated with [Formula: see text] for pseudobase formation at C-4 of these quinolinium cations by: [Formula: see text]. Values of [Formula: see text] vs. [Formula: see text] describe a Westheimer curve reaching a maximum of 5.8 for W = Br and falling to 1.5 for W = NO 2 and 4.2 for W = H. These data are consistent with an intrinsic barrier of 2.9 ± 0.5 kcal/mol for hydride transfer between this 1,4-dihydronicotinamide and quinolinium cations. However, quinolinium cations display a dramatically enhanced rate of dihydronicotinamide reduction relative to hydroxide ion attack when compared with isoquinolinium cations. This observation, and the predominance of C-4 rather than C-2 reduction, suggests that these reactions may not be simple one-step hydride transfer processes.