PNNL

Abstract

Consequences of proton-transfer reactions in guanidine in the solid state, solution and gas phase are discussed. Y-delocalization, resonance and symmetry strongly influence the basicity of guanidine in the gas phase. These effects are however insufficient to explain the basicity of guanidine which in aqueous solution is stronger than that of trisubstituted alkylamines and proton sponge (DMAN). The intrinsic (gas-phase) basicity of guanidine is close to that of triethylamine. The large difference between the basicity of amines and guanidine in solution is attributed to the important role played by effects such as polarizability, internal and external solvation.