Nucleophilic reactivity of aniline derivatives towards the nitroso group

Abstract

This study investigates the reactivity of the electrophilic nitroso group towards nucleophilic aniline derivatives from various nitrosating agents. A relationship between the rate of nitrosation and Edwards' nucleophilic parameter (En) is disclosed, indicative of a transition state that is mostly product-like in nature with respect to cleavage of the nitroso bond in the nitrosating agent. A similar relationship based on the work of Marcus provides a considerably better explanation of the data. Through application of the Marcus equation, the free energy change of reaction is calculated for the nitrosation reactions studied, which in turn is applied to develop an equation linking the free ener..