The hydrogen isotope effect in the bromination of 2-carbethoxy <i>cyclo</i> pentanone

Abstract

Abstract Measurements are reported on the kinetics of the base-catalyzed bromination of 2-car-bethoxycyclopentanone, with either hydrogen or deuterium in the active position. The solvent throughout was deuterium oxide, the catalysts employed were the solvent, monochloroacetate ion and fluoride ion, and measurements were made at 5° intervals over the range 10 to 70°C. The observed activation energies are all greater for the deutero- than for the proto-ester, but the differences are greater than would be expected on current theories of isotope effects. The observed collision factors are in every case greater for deuterium than for hydrogen, especially for catalysis by fluoride ion, where the ratio of these factors is AD/AH = 24 ± 4. These observations can only be accounted for by invoking the tunnel effect, i. e. by supposing that the motion of the proton is markedly non-classical in nature. It is shown that this hypothesis leads to reasonable dimensions for the energy barriers involved, and some if its general consequences are discussed.