A DFT Study of the Kinetic Isotope Effects on the Competing SN2 and E2 Reactions between Hypochlorite Anion and Ethyl Chloride.

Kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) on the two alternative reactions, SN2 and E2, between hypochlorite anion and ethyl chloride in water have been studied theoretically using B3LYP and M06-2X functionals. It has been found that the latter one yields more correct geometries and energetics. Although, in the qualitative sense, KIEs obtained using both DFT functionals are in agreement, interpretation of some of them, like (18)O-KIE in the present case, leads to different mechanistic conclusions.