Synthesis 2017; 49(15): 3247-3254
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1588444
short review
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

How Does Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution in Nitroarenes Really Proceed: General Mechanism

Authors

  • Mieczysław Mąkosza

    Institute of Organic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, /ul. Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland   Email: icho-s@icho.edu.pl

This work was supported by the National Science Centre (Grant No. UMO-2014/15/B/ST5/021800).
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 27 April 2017

Accepted: 08 May 2017

Publication Date:
06 June 2017 (online)


Graphical Abstract

Preview

Dedicated to Professor Herbert Mayr on the occasion of his 70th birthday

Abstract

On the basis of previously published experimental studies and ab initio calculations, a general corrected mechanism of nucleophilic aromatic substitution was formulated. It was shown that conventional nucleophilic substitution of halogens is a slow secondary reaction whereas nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen is the fast primary process. The general mechanism embraces both of these alternative and complementary reactions.