Influence of Alkyl Groups in Substituted Tetramethylguanidines on the Rate Constants and Deuterium Isotope Effect for the E2 Elimination Reaction

The kinetics of the E2 elimination reaction of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-di(4-nitrophenyl)ethane promoted by substituted alkyltetramethylguanidine R-N=C(NMe₂)₂ (where R = H, Me, Et, Prⁱ and Bu^t) are reported and the influence of alkyl groups on the kinetic isotope effects in tetrahydrofuran is discussed.