Nucleofugality of Pentafluorophenolate in Various Solvents: Solvolytic Behavior of Phenolates

The leaving group ability (nucleofugality) of the pentafluorophenolate anion has been determined from first order solvolytic rate constants (k) of X,Y-substituted benzhydryl pentafluorophenolates measured in a series of solvents, by using the three parameter LFER equation: log k = sf (Ef + Nf). Comparison with other leaving groups reveals that pentafluorophenolate is a moderate leaving group, whose nucleofugality (Nf value) is between the nucleofugalities of phenyl carbonate and 3,5-dinitrobenzoate leaving groups. However, due to its high reaction constant (sf = 1.29 in 80 % aq. ethanol), relative reactivities of benzhydryl pentafluorophenolates and corresponding benzhydryl carboxylates vary with the electrofugality of a carbocation formed in the heterolytic step, i.e., inversion of the reactivity of benzhydryl series with different leaving groups occurs. The plots of Δ‡G° vs. ΔrG° for solvolysis of benzhydryl phenolates and carboxylates reveal that phenolates solvolyze over the lower Marcus intrinsic barrier than corresponding carboxylates.