Nucleofugality and nucleophilicity of fluoride in protic solvents

A series of p-substituted benzhydryl fluorides (diarylfluoromethanes) were prepared and subjected to solvolysis reactions, which were followed conductometrically. The observed first-order rate constants k(1)(25 °C) were found to follow the correlation equation log k(1)(25 °C) = s(f)(N(f) + E(f)), which allowed us to determine the nucleofuge-specific parameters N(f) and s(f) for fluoride in different aqueous and alcoholic solvents. The rates of the reverse reactions were measured by generating benzhydrylium ions (diarylcarbenium ions) laser flash photolytically in various alcoholic and aqueous solvents in the presence of fluoride ions and monitoring the rate of consumption of the benzhydrylium ions by UV-vis spectroscopy. The resulting second-order rate constants k(-1)(20 °C) were substituted into the correlation equation log k(-1) = s(N)(N + E) to derive the nucleophilicity parameters N and s(N) for fluoride in various protic solvents. Complete Gibbs energy profiles for the solvolysis reactions of benzhydryl fluorides are constructed.