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Published on: August 22, 2018
Hyperstrong neutral organic bases: phosphazeno azacalix[3](2,6)pyridines
I Despotović1, B Kovacević, Z B Maksić
1Quantum Organic Chemistry Group, Department of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ruder Bosković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia.
Abstract:
The gas-phase basicities and pKa values in acetonitrile of tris(phosphazeno)-substituted azacalix[3](2,6)pyridine and some related compounds are examined by DFT computational method. It is shown that the hexakis(phosphazeno) derivative of azacalix[3](2,6)pyridine is a hyperstrong neutral base as evidenced by the absolute proton affinity (APA) of 314.6 kcal mol(-1) and pKa(MeCN) of 37.3 units. It is a consequence of the very strong bifurcated hydrogen bond (32 kcal mol(-1)) and substantial cationic resonance effect.
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Acidity of 1-Alkynes
The acidic strength of hydrocarbons follows the order: Alkynes > Alkenes > Alkanes. The strength of an acid is commonly expressed in units of pKa — the lower the pKa, the stronger the acid. Among the hydrocarbons, terminal alkynes have lower pKa values and are, therefore, more acidic. For example, the pKa values for ethane, ethene, and acetylene are 51, 44, and 25, respectively, as shown here.
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