2-Isoxazolidineethanols: an NMR study of the effect of intramolecular H-bonding on the population of nitrogen invertomers and inversion process

A series of (betaR,5R)- and (betaR,5S)-2,5-disubstituted isoxazolidines: 5-(substituent)-beta-phenyl-2-isoxazolidineethanols, have been prepared by asymmetric nitrone cycloaddition reactions and their NMR spectra recorded over a wide range of temperatures. The spectra at low temperatures indicate the presence of the (betaR,5S) diasteromer almost exclusively as a single invertomer having trans disposition of the substituents at N(2) and C(5), while the (betaR,5R) diasteromer remained as a mixture of two interconverting invertomers in deuterated chloroform. The effect of H-bonding - intramolecular in CDCl(3) and intermolecular in CD(3)OD - on the population ratio of the invertomers and nitrogen inversion process has been investigated. The nitrogen inversion barriers are determined using complete line-shape analysis, and their dependence on solvent is discussed. Due to steric factor the trans-invertomers are found to be more stable than their cis counterparts.     

Alpha-(N-carbamoyl)alkylcuprate chemistry in the synthesis of nitrogen heterocycles

The conjugate adducts obtained via coupling of alpha-(N-carbamoyl)alkylcuprates with alpha,beta-ynoates, alpha-allenyl esters, or alpha.beta-enoates or enimides undergo N-Boc deprotection and cyclization onto the ester functionality upon treatment with PhOH/TMSCl, catecholboron bromide, or trimethylsilyl triflate. This two-pot sequence provides synthetic routes to 4-alkylidinepyrrolidine-2-ones, 4-alkylidinepyrrolizidin-2-ones, and 4-alkylidineindolizidin-2-ones via allenyl esters; pyrrolin-2-ones, tetrahydropyrrolizin-2-ones, and tetrahydroindolizin-2-ones via alpha/beta-ynoates; pyrrolidin-2-ones, pyrrolizidin-2-ones, and indolizidin-2-ones via alpha,beta-enoates or alpha.beta-enimides. The reluctance of gamma-carbamoyl-alpha,beta-enoates to undergo E/Z isomerization requires the use of (Z)-beta-iodo-alpha,beta-enoates readily prepared by the addition of HI to the alkynyl esters for the efficient preparation of pyrrolinones, tetrahydropyrrolizinones, and tetrahydroindolizinones. Utilization of omega-functionalized alpha,eta-ynoates or beta-iodo-alpha,beta-enoates allows for cyclization onto the omega-functionality providing for a synthetic route to quinolizidines.     

The role of formamide in the preparation of cellulose acetate membranes by the phase inversion process

Summary By varying the concentration of formamide within the acetone solutions from which cellulose acetate membranes were fabricated, a series of membranes exhibiting a wide range of performance characteristics was prepared. The morphological, optical, swelling and water transport properties of these membrane gels have been interpreted with reference to a phase inversion in their sol precursors.

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Zusammenfassung Aus Acetonl?sung mit unterschiedlichem Gehalt an Formamid wurden Zellulosemembranen dargestellt. Die Eigenschaften der Membranen sind je nach den Konzentrationen des Formamids verschieden. Die Unterschiede werden durch Phasen?nderungen w?hrend des übergangs Sol-Gel erkl?rt.

     

Barriers to nitrogen inversion in 6-membered rings : Nitrogen inversion in tetrahydro-1,2-oxazines

A study of the nitrogen inversion process in the bicyclic oxazine, N-methyl-2-oxa-3-azabicyclo[2,2,2]octane, by ¹³C NMR spectrocopy reveals a free energy of activation of 14.9 kcal mole^-1. Detailed examination of the kinetics of the process observed in the ¹H spectra of N-methyl tetrahydro-1,2-oxazine shows ΔH^≠ 15.1±0.4 kcal mole^-1 and ΔS^≠ 2.3 ±1.5 cal mol^-1K^-1. It is concluded from the similarity in the activation parameters that both processes arise from nitrogen inversion.     

The control of the nitrogen inversion in alkyl-substituted diaziridines

For the first time the nitrogen inversion barriers in 3,3-unsubstituted trans-diaziridines, such as 1,2-di-tert-butyldiaziridine (1) and 1,2-di-n-butyldiaziridine (2) were determined. Enantioselective stopped-flow multidimensional gas chromatography was used to investigate the enantiomerization barrier of 1 between 126.2 and 171.0 degrees C (DeltaG ++ gas (150.7 degrees C) = 135.8+/-0.2 kJ mol(-1), DeltaH++ gas = 116.1+/-2.5 kJ mol(-1), DeltaS ++ gas == -46+/-2 J K(-1) mol(-1)). The separation of the enantiomers has been achieved in presence of the chiral stationary phase (CSP) Chirasil-beta-Dex with a high separation factor (alpha = 1.44 at 80 degrees C). In a complementary approach, the enantiomerization barriers of 1,2-di-tert-butyldiaziridine (1), 1,2-di-n-butyldiaziridine (2), 1-n-butyl-3,3-dimethyldiaziridine (3), and 1,2,3,3-tetramethyldiaziridine (4) were determined for comparison by enantioselective dynamic chromatography (DGC) and computer simulation of the dynamic elution profiles. The enantiomerization barrier of 2 was shown to be the highest among the nonsterically hindered diaziridines studied so far, whereas 1 exhibited the highest value found for strained nitrogen-containing rings, that is, aziridines, diaziridines and oxaziridines.     

Density functional and molecular orbital study of physical process of inversion of nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) molecule

The physical process of the umbrella inversion of the nitrogen trifluoride molecule has been studied invoking the formalisms of the density functional theory, the frontier orbital theory, and the molecular orbital theory. An intuitive structure and dynamics of evolution of the transition state for the event of inversion is suggested. The physical process of dynamic evolution of the molecular conformations between the equilibrium (C_3v) shape and the planar (D_3h) transition state has been followed by a number of molecular orbital and density functional parameters like the total energy, the eigenvalues of the frontier orbitals, the highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital, the (HOMO–LUMO) gap, the global hardness and softness, and the chemical potential. The molecular conformations are generated by deforming the ∠FNF angle through steps of 2° from its equilibrium value, and the cycle is continued till the planar transition state is reached, and the geometry of each conformation is optimized with respect to the length of the N? F bond. The geometry optimization demonstrates that the structural evolution entails an associated slow decrease in the length of the N? F bond. The dipole moment at the equilibrium form is small and that at the transition state is zero and shows a strange behavior with the evolution of conformations. As the molecular structure begins to distort from its equilibrium shape by opening of the ∠FNF angle, the dipole moment starts increasing very sharply, and the trend continues very near to the transition state but abruptly vanishes at the transition state. A rationale of the strange variation of dipole moment as a function of evolution of conformations could be obtained in terms of quantum mechanical hybridization of the lone pair on the N atom. The pattern of charge density reorganization as a function of geometry evolution is a continuous depletion of charge from the F center and piling up of charge on the N center. The continuous shortening of bond length and the pattern of variation of net charge densities on atomic sites with evolution of molecular conformations predicts that the bond moment would decrease continuously. The quantum mechanical hybridization of the lone pair of the central N atom shows that the percentage of s character of the lone‐pair hybrid on the N atom decreases at a very accelerated rate, and the lone pair at the transition state is accommodated in a pure p orbital. The result of the continued destruction of asymmetry of charge distribution in the lone pair on the central N atom due to the elimination of contribution of the s orbital with evolution of molecular conformations is the sharp decrease in lone‐pair moment. The decrease in bond moment is overcompensated by the sharp fall of its offsetting component, the lone‐pair moment, resulting in a net gain in dipole moment with the evolution of molecular geometry. Since the offsetting component decreases very sharply, the net effect is a sharp rise of dipole moment with the evolution of molecular conformations just before the transition state. The lone‐pair moment is zero by virtue of the symmetry of the pure p orbital, the lone pair of the central atom in the transition state, and the sum of the bond moments is zero by symmetry of the geometry. The barrier height is quite high at ～65.45 kcal/mol, which is close to values computed through more sophisticated methods. It is argued that an earlier suggestion regarding the development of high barrier value of NF₃ system seems to be misleading and confronting with the conclusions of the density functional theory. An analysis and a comparative study of the physical components of the one‐ and two‐center energy terms reveals that the pattern of the charge density reorganization has the principal role in deciding the origin and the magnitude of barrier of inversion of the molecule and the barrier originates not from a particular energetic effect localized in a particular region of the molecule, rather the barrier originates from a subtle interplay of one‐ and two‐center components of the total energy. The decomposed energy components show that the F?F nonbonded interaction and N? F bonded interaction favor the formation of transition state, while the one‐center energy terms prohibit the formation of the transition state. The barrier principally develops from the one‐center energy components. The profile of the HOMO is isomorphic and that of the LUMO is homomorphic with the potential energy curve for the physical process of the event of umbrella inversion of the molecule. The variation of the HOMO–LUMO gap, ?ε, the global hardness, η, and the softness, S, as a function of the reaction coordinates of angular deformation of NF₃ molecule are quite consistent with the predictions of the molecular orbital and the density functional theories in connection with the deformation of molecular geometry. The profiles of ?ε, η, and S, as a function of reaction coordinates, mimic the potential energy curve of the molecule. The eigenvalues of the frontier orbitals, and the ?ε, η, S parameters are found to be equally effective theoretical parameters, like the total energy, to monitor the physical process of the inversion of pyramidal molecules. The nature of the variation of the global hardness parameter between the equilibrium shape and the transition state form for the inversion is in accordance with the principle of maximum hardness (PMH). © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2002     

On the escape process during phase inversion of an emulsion

This paper deals with a phenomenon which plays an important role in the phase inversion process of emulsions. This process is governed by the interplay of coalescence of droplets, often leading to double emulsions, and the escape of those internal droplets. The latter process retards the inversion process. Coalescence has been the subject of many studies, contrary to the escape event. This paper addresses the escape process both theoretically and experimentally. The model developed analyses the rate of the escape of internal droplets from the mother droplet via a coalescence process, where the internal flow, as generated by the external flow, generates the viscous force for coalescence. Incomplete mixing in the droplet has been assumed. Experimental data on the escape rate of oil droplets from O/W/O emulsions have been analysed using a Computational Fluid Dynamics approach, where the model as indicated above has been incorporated. Experimental data and simulations compare very well. Data have been compared on varying the size of the inner droplets and the rotational speed of the vessel where the double emulsion has been formed and where the escape took place.     

Facilitated inversion complicates the stereodynamics of an SN2 reaction at nitrogen center

Bimolecular nucleophilic substitution (S_N2) reactions at carbon center are well known to proceed with the stereospecific Walden-inversion mechanism. Reaction dynamics simulations on a newly developed high-level ab initio analytical potential energy surface for the F⁻ + NH₂Cl nitrogen-centered S_N2 and proton-transfer reactions reveal a hydrogen-bond-formation-induced multiple-inversion mechanism undermining the stereospecificity of the N-centered S_N2 channel. Unlike the analogous F⁻ + CH₃Cl S_N2 reaction, F⁻ + NH₂Cl → Cl⁻ + NH₂F is indirect, producing a significant amount of NH₂F with retention, as well as inverted NH₂Cl during the timescale within the unperturbed NH₂Cl molecule gets inverted with only low probability, showing the important role of facilitated inversions via an FH…NHCl⁻-like transition state. Proton transfer leading to HF + NHCl⁻ is more direct and becomes the dominant product channel at higher collision energies.

Multiple-inversion, the analogue of the double-inversion pathway recently revealed for S_N2@C, is the key mechanism in S_N2 at N center undermining stereospecificity.     

Semiconductor surface-induced 1,3-hydrogen shift: the role of covalent vs zwitterionic character

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) are used to compare the reaction of 1,2-cyclohexanedione (1,2-CHD) with Si(001) and diamond(001) surface dimers under ultra-high-vacuum conditions. 1,2-CHD is known to undergo a keto-enol tautomerization, with the monoenol being the primary equilibrium species in the solid and gas phases. XPS and FTIR data demonstrate that 1,2-CHD reacts with diamond(001) through the OH group of the monoenol, resulting in only one O atom being bonded to the surface. In contrast, XPS and FTIR data suggest that both oxygen atoms in the 1,2-CHD molecule bond via Si-O-C linkages to the Si(001) surface dimer, and that the molecule undergoes an intramolecular 1,3-H shift. While the Si(001) and diamond(001) surfaces are both comprised of surface dimers, the diamond(001) dimer is symmetric, with little charge separation, whereas the Si(001) dimer is tilted and exhibits zwitterionic character. The different reaction products that are observed when clean Si(001) and diamond(001) surfaces are exposed to 1,2-CHD demonstrate the importance of charge separation in promoting a 1,3-H shift and provide new mechanistic insights that may be applicable to a variety of organic reactions.     

Design of a new rotary molecular machine based on nitrogen inversion: a DFT investigation

Ab initio calculations are employed to investigate nitrogen inversion as a configuration change that can supply an extremely useful switchable control mechanism for some complex systems. In this paper, the design of a new artificial rotary molecular machine based on nitrogen inversion is discussed. The introduced design of a molecular rotator is based on the reciprocating motion of a substituent due to the inversion phenomenon, leading to the rotary motion in the molecule. Since simple secondary amines easily face the inversion process at room temperature, aziridine is selected as the initial driver for the molecular motion. The most obvious finding from this study is that, following the displacement of the substituent attached to the aziridine nitrogen atom, two rotary motions occurr in the molecule, one clockwise and another counterclockwise with a 39.52° to 150.09° angle domain.     

Computational design of a new pedal-like nanorobot based on nitrogen inversion

Ab initio calculations are employed to investigate nitrogen inversion as a configuration change that can supply an infinitely useful switchable control mechanism for some complex systems. In this paper, the design of a new pedal-like nano-scale robot is discussed based on nitrogen inversion. This work introduces the design of a nano pedal in which different structures of the arms created two diverse kinds of pedals: a) nano pedal without intersectional motion and b) nano pedal with intersectional motion. In (a), due to stereo repellent in the two pedal arms, they were unable to pass each other and could only move back and forth in one direction. However, in (b), due to an increase in the axis connecting the two arms, the issue of stereo repellent of nitrogen was looked over and the arms could pass each other and moved in a larger domain.     

Carboxylation and Mitsunobu reaction of amines to give carbamates: retention vs inversion of configuration is substituent-dependent

A mild method for the synthesis of carbamates from amino alcohols involves sequential carboxylation with carbon dioxide, followed by a Mitsunobu reaction. Unexpectedly, the stereochemical course of the Mitsunobu reaction is dependent on whether the carbamic acid intermediate is N-substituted with hydrogen (retention) or carbon (inversion).