Synthesis and kinetic study for the interconversion process of some 2'-hydroxychalcones to their corresponding flavanones

Abstract

In this work, five substituted2'-Hydroxychalconeswere prepared using Claisen - Schmidt condensation and used as a synthone for substituted flavanones via base catalyzed isomerization process. The latter process has been studied kinetically using HPLC technique in (8:2) (CH3CN:CH3OH) medium at different temperatures (298 K - 318 K). The obtained results were inconsonance with a four-step mechanism which considered the existence of phenoxide ion as the key intermediate. The reaction was achieved as a pseudo first order reaction in which the rate of the studied compounds followed the sequence 1>2>3>4>5, and the activation energy had the same sequence for these compounds. The reaction rate was affected by the electronic behavior of the different substituents at ring B since they played an important role in the stability of the intermediate that led to the final product.