Abstract
Consecutive hydrolysis of the acetoxy groups in 1,8-diacetoxynaphthalene in aqueous alkaline solution can be studied kinetically because hydrolysis occurs more rapidly for the diacetate than for 1-acetoxy-8-hydroxynaphthalene which is mostly present in the ionised form. The dependence of the rate coefficient (k2) for hydrolysis of 1-acetoxy-8-hydroxynaphthalene on the concentration of hydroxide ion is complex because of the equilibrium between the ionised and un-ionised forms and their different reactivities. The equilibrium between the ionised and un-ionised forms has been measured separately and the data are combined with the kinetic results to show that the linear dependence of k2 on [OH] at high concentrations is due to reaction of the ionised form with OH. At low concentrations, the curved dependence of k2 on [OH] can be explained by reaction of ionised 1-acetoxy-8-hydroxy-naphthalene with solvent. The value of the rate coefficient (k4) for this reaction, in comparison with the value for the reaction of 1-acetoxynaphthalene with water, shows that the hydroxy group assists the attack of water by intramolecular general base catalysis. A kinetic solvent isotope effect k4(H2O)/k4(D2O) 2.2 ± 0.5 is observed.
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