Rates and equilibrium constants for the covalent hydration of 5-bromo-2(1H)-pyrimidinone in aqueous solution

The kinetics of bromination of the title compound (1) have been measured in aqueous solutions of pH 0–6. The change in the order of reaction which occurs around pH 2.5 is explained by 1 reacting via its covalent hydrate, 3. Furthermore, there is sufficient 3 present at equilibrium that the kinetics of its equilibration with 1 were also measured. From these two studies the extent of covalent hydration of 1 is estimated to be 5%.Kinetic studies of the bromination of the dimethyl cation 5 and of its equilibration with the pseudobase 6 were also carried out for the purposes of comparison.The present results for 1, 3, 5, and 6 are compared to earlier results for 2-pyrimidinone and analogous derivatives.