Effect of cyclodextrin on elimination reactions

The reaction of 1-bromo-2-X-2-(Y-phenyl) ethane derivatives (1: X = Y = H; 2: X = Ph, Y = H; 3: X = H, Y = 4-Ac; 4: X = H, Y = 3-NO2; 5: X = H, Y = 4-NO2; 6: X = H, Y = 3-Me; 7: X = H, Y = 4-Me) in basic solution was studied, and in most cases, only the elimination product is formed. Only (2-bromo-1-phenylethyl)benzene, 2, yielded significant substitution product, and this yield decreased with the concentration of HO-. Addition of cyclodextrin (β-CD) diminished (about half for 0.02 M cyclodextrin concentration) the reaction rate of all substrates but 4 and 5. In the latter two cases, the rate rises. The observed rate-constant value at 0.5 M NaOH is 6.78 × 10-4 s-1 (at 40°C) and 1.80 × 10-3 s-1 (at 25°C) for 4 and 5, respectively. Under the same reaction conditions but with 0.01 M β-CD, the corresponding rates were 7.70 × 10-4 s-1 and 5.20 × 10-3 s-1. The elimination yield for 2 increased from 64 to 98% when the β-CD changed from zero to 0.02 M at 0.5 M NaHO. Also, there was an increase in the relative elimination products of 20-40% for compounds 6 and 7. The Hammet ρ values were 1.3 and 2.3 for the reaction in pure solvent and in the presence of β-cyclodextrin, indicating an increase in the negative character of the transition state for the reactions in the latter conditions. The results are interpreted in terms of the formation of an inclusion complex whose structure depends on the substrate.Key words: cyclodextrin, elimination reactions, inhibition, catalysis.