Reaction Progress Kinetics Analysis of 1,3-Disiloxanediols as Hydrogen-Bonding Catalysts

1,3-Disiloxanediols are effective hydrogen-bonding catalysts that exhibit enhanced activity relative to silanediols and triarylsilanols. The catalytic activity for a series of 1,3-disiloxanediols, including naphthyl-substituted and unsymmetrical siloxanes, has been quantified and compared relative to other silanol and thiourea catalysts using the Friedel Crafts addition of indole to trans-β-nitrostyrene. An in-depth kinetic study using reaction progress kinetic analysis (RPKA) has been performed to probe the catalyst behavior of 1,3-disiloxanediols. The data confirm that the disiloxanediol-catalyzed addition reaction is first order in catalyst over all concentrations studied with no evidence of catalyst self-association. 1,3-Disiloxanediols proved to be robust and recoverable catalysts with no deactivation under reaction conditions. No product inhibition is observed, and competitive binding studies with nitro-containing additives suggest that 1,3-disiloxanediols bind weakly to nitro groups but are strongly activating for catalysis.