Halogenation of ketones with N-halosuccinimides under solvent-free reaction conditions

Several aryl substituted ketones, cyclic ketones, 1,3-diketones and a β-ketoamide were halogenated with N-halosuccinimides under solvent-free reaction conditions (SFRC) at various temperatures (20–80 °C), whereas less enolized ketones required the presence of an acid catalyst (p-toluenesulfonic acid, PTSA). Bromination of substituted acetophenones obeys first order kinetics v=kBr[ketone] and the following correlation with the keto–enol equilibrium constant: log kBr=0.3pKE+C1, less enolized substrates being more reactive; the moderate positive charge developed in the rate determining step was confirmed by the Hammett correlation (ρ=−0.5). On the other hand, in cyclic ketones an opposite relation was observed: log kBr=−0.6pKE+C2, indicating higher reactivity of substrates with higher enolization constant (KE). The important role of the nature of the solvent (MeCN, MeOH) in preorganization of the ketone–NBS–PTSA mixture prior to SFRC bromination was found.