Abstract The solvolyses of 1-naphthoyl (2), 2-naphthoyl (3), 4-methyl-1-naphthoyl (4) and 6- methoxy-2-naphthoyl (5) chlorides in a variety of solvents were studied, and correlation analyses by using the single-and dual-parameter Grunwald–Winstein equations were examined. An excellent linear relationship (R= 0.995) for 4, log (k/k 0)= 0.733Y xBnCl+ 0.269N OTs, was observed. An SN 1-like mechanism with decreasing extent of ...