Abstracto
- The kinetics of the hydrolysis of ethyl acetate catalyzed by the strongly acidic ion-exchange resin Dowex 50W-X2 was studied at 25°C in mixtures of light and heavy waters. The second-order rate constants vary with the deuterium atom fraction (n) as 106kn/(s-1 mequiv-1) = (1.82 ± 0.06)(1 - n + 0.83n)3/(1 - n + 0.69n)3. This result suggests that the observed overall solvent isotope effect is generated by three protons changing their binding state in going from the reactant to the transition state. © 1981 American Chemical Society.