Nucleophilic substitutions at the pyridine ring: Kinetics of the reaction of 2-chloro-3-nitro and 2-chloro-5-nitropyridines with piperidine and morpholine in methanol and benzene

The kinetics of the reactions of 2-chloro-3-nitropyridine (ortho-like) and 5-nitro (para-like) isomer with morpholine and piperidine were studied in methanol and benzene at several amine concentrations and temperatures in the range 25–45°C. The data show that k/k ratios are less than unity in methanol. The steric hindrance in the transition state of the 3-nitro (ortho-like) isomer retards o-substitution while the stability of p-quinonoid structure of the 5-nitro (para-like) isomer favors p-substitution. In benzene, the k3-NO2/k5-NO2 ratios are greater than unity. The hydrogen bonding formation between the ammonium hydrogen and the ortho-nitro group in the transition state of 3-nitro isomer favors the o-substitution.