Effects of Electrolytes on the Dediazoniation of Aryldiazonium Ions in Acidic MeOH/H2O Mixtures

Aryldiazonium, ArN2+, ions decompose spontaneously through the formation of highly reactive aryl cations that undergo preferential solvation by water, showing a low selectivity towards the nucleophiles present in their solvation shell. In this work, we investigate the effects of electrolytes (NaCl, LiCl, and LiClO4) on the dediazoniation of 2-, 3-, and 4-methylbenzenediazonium ions in acidic MeOH/H2O mixtures. In the absence of electrolytes, the rates of dediazoniation, kobs, increase modestly upon increasing the MeOH content of the reaction mixture. At any solvent composition, the rate of ArN2+ loss is the same as that for product formation. The main dediazoniation products are cresols (ArOH) and methyl phenyl ethers (ArOMe). Only small amounts (less than 5%) of the reduction product toluene (ArH), which are detected at high percentages of MeOH. Quantitative yields of are obtained at any solvent composition. The addition of LiCl or NaCl ([MCl] = 0–1.5 M) to the reaction mixtures has a negligible effect on kobs but leads to the formation, in low yields (<10%), of the ArCl derivative. The addition of LiClO4 (0–1.5 M) to 20% MeOH/H2O mixtures has a negligible effect on both kobs and on the product distribution. However, at 99.5% MeOH, the addition of the same amounts of LiClO4 leads to a modest decrease in kobs but to a significant decrease in the yields of ArOMe. Results are interpreted in terms of the preferential solvation of perchlorate ions by the aryl cations, removing MeOH molecules from the solvation shell.