Pyrolysis of azetidinones. Part 2. Kinetics and mechanism of thermolysis of β-lactams and β-thiolactams
The kinetics of the gas-phase thermolysis reaction of seven β-lactams and their thione analogues were investigated over the temperature range 533–603 K for the β-lactams and 463–542 K for the β-thiolactams. The average values of the energy of activation (Ea) (kJ mol−1) and Arrhenius log A (s–1) were, respectively, 170.8 ± 18.6 and 12.4 ± 1.6 for the lactams and 131.7 ± 18.2 and 11.0 ± 2.0 for the thione analogues. The entropy of activation (ΔS#) was negative for of the substrates and slightly positive for three. The rate constants (k) (s−1) were calculated for 510 K and compared for the two series of azetidinones. The effects of substituents on rates and the novel role played by the C=O and C=S moieties on the relative reactivities of the cyclic amides are rationalized on the basis of a formal retro[2+2]cycloaddition mechanism used earlier to explain the products of the gas-phase thermolysis reaction of the present azetidinones.