Substituent Effects on the Base-Catalysed Hydrolysis of Phenyl Esters of ortho-Substituted Benzoic Acids

Fourteen model phenyl esters of 2-substituted benzoic acids were synthesised. Structures and purity of model compounds were confirmed by 1 H and 13 C NMR spectroscopy, as well as by HPLC and elemental analysis. Kinetics of base-catalysed hydrolysis of model phenyl esters occurring by the BAc2 mechanism were measured by UV spectrophotometry in 50% (v/v) aqueous dimethyl sulfoxide solutions at 25 °C under pseudo-first-order reaction conditions ( c (NaOH) = 0.001-1.0 mol l -1 ). Linear relation between J - E and log k obs with the slope close to unity was found for all model compounds. Neither one-parameter nor multiparameter Hammett-type description of variability of experimental data obtained for phenyl esters of 2-substituted benzoic acids was found. Two groups (conjugating and non-conjugating) were created by division of ortho -substituents in ortho -position using the AISE theory, based on their interaction with the reaction centre.