Benchmarking thermochemical experiments and calculations of nitrogen-containing substituted adamantanes

Standard molar enthalpy of formation of 2-cyano-adamantane was obtained by using high-precision combustion calorimetry. The standard molar enthalpies of sublimation of 2-cyano-adamantane and 2,2-dinitro-adamantane at 298.15 K were derived from the vapor pressure temperature dependences measured by transpiration. The molar enthalpies of fusion of these compounds were measured with the help of differential scanning calorimetry. Thermochemical data on functional substituted adamantanes containing nitrogen in the substituents were collected and evaluated. The gas-phase enthalpies of formation were calculated with the high-level quantum-chemical method G4 and compared with the experimental results. The consistent data set of the benchmark quality was suggested for practical thermochemical calculations. Geminal destabilizing effects for the interactions of nitro- and cyano-substituents placed in the second position on the adamantane cage were derived. Structure–property correlations for substituted adamantanes and aliphatic substituted alkanes were found and suggested for the assessment of the gas-phase enthalpies of formation of adamantane derivatives.