Inchemistry,dissociative substitution describes areaction pathway by whichcompounds interchangeligands. The term is typically applied tocoordination andorganometallic complexes, but resembles theS_N1 mechanism inorganic chemistry. This pathway can be well described by thecis effect, or the labilization of CO ligands in thecis position. The opposite pathway isassociative substitution, being analogous toS_N2 pathway. Pathways that are intermediate between the pure dissociative and pure associative pathways are calledinterchange mechanisms.^[1][2]

Complexes that undergo dissociative substitution are oftencoordinatively saturated and often haveoctahedral molecular geometry. Theentropy of activation is characteristically positive for these reactions, which indicates that the disorder of the reacting system increases in the rate-determining step.

Dissociative pathways are characterized by arate determining step that involves release of a ligand from the coordination sphere of the metal undergoing substitution. The concentration of the substitutingnucleophile has no influence on this rate, and an intermediate of reduced coordination number can be detected. The reaction can be described with k₁, k₋₁ and k₂, which are therate constants of their corresponding intermediate reaction steps:

Normally the rate determining step is the dissociation of L from the complex, and [L'] does not affect the rate of reaction, leading to the simple rate equation:

${\displaystyle \text{Rate}={\mathit{\text{k}}}_1^{}[{\text{L}}_{\mathit{\text{n}}}^{}\text{M}-\text{L}]}$

However, in some cases, the back reaction (k₋₁) becomes important, and [L'] can exert an effect on the overall rate of reaction. The backward reaction k₋₁ therefore competes with the second forward reaction (k₂), thus the fraction of intermediate (denoted as "Int") that can react with L' to form the product is given by the expression${\displaystyle \frac{{\mathit{\text{k}}}_2^{}[{\text{L}}^{\prime }][\text{Int}]}{{\mathit{\text{k}}}_{-1}^{}[\text{L}][\text{Int}]+{\mathit{\text{k}}}_2^{}[{\text{L}}^{\prime }][\text{Int}]}}$, which leads us to the overall rate equation:

${\displaystyle {\text{Rate}}_{\text{overall}}^{}=\left(\frac{k_2[{\text{L}}^{\prime }][Int]}{k_{-1}[\text{L}][Int]+k_2[{\text{L}}^{\prime }][Int]}\right)(k_1[{\text{L}}_{\mathit{\text{n}}}^{}\text{M}-\text{L}])=\frac{k_1{k}_2[{\text{L}}^{\prime }][{\text{L}}_{\mathit{\text{n}}}^{}\text{M}-\text{L}]}{k_{-1}[\text{L}]+k_2[{\text{L}}^{\prime }]}}$

When [L] is small and negligible, the above complex equation reduces to the simple rate equation that depends on k₁ and [L_nM-L] only.

Interchange pathways apply tosubstitution reactions whereintermediates are not observed, which is more common than pure dissociative pathways. If thereaction rate is insensitive to the nature of the attackingnucleophile, the process is calleddissociative interchange, abbreviatedI_d. An illustrative process comes from the "anation" (reaction with an anion) of cobalt(III) complexes:^[3]

The exchange between bulk andcoordinated water is of fundamental interest as a measure of the intrinsic kineticlability of metal ions. This rate is relevant to toxicity,catalysis,magnetic resonance imaging, and other effects. For octahedral mono- and dicationicaquo complexes, these exchange processes occur via an interchange pathway that has more or less dissociative character.^[4] Rates vary by a factor of 10¹⁸,[Ir(H₂O)₆]³⁺ being the slowest and[Na(H₂O)₆]⁺ being one of the fastest for octahedral complexes. Charge has a significant influence on these rates but non-electrostatic effects are also important.

The rate for thehydrolysis of cobalt(III) ammine (NH₃-containing) halide complexes are deceptive, appearing to be associative but proceeding by a pathway that is dissociative in character. The hydrolysis of[Co(NH₃)₅Cl]²⁺ follows second order kinetics: the rate increases linearly with concentration of hydroxide as well as the starting complex. Studies show, however, that in the hydroxide deprotonates oneNH₃ ligand to give theconjugate base of the starting complex, i.e.,[Co(NH₃)₄(NH₂)Cl]⁺. In this monocation, the chloride spontaneously dissociates from this conjugate base of the starting complex. This pathway is called theSn1CB mechanism.

• Substitution reactions
• Organometallic chemistry
• Coordination chemistry
• Chemical reactions
• Reaction mechanisms

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