The anisotropic effect of functional groups in 1H NMR spectra is the molecular response property of spatial nucleus independent chemical shifts (NICS)--conformational equilibria of exo/endo tetrahydrodicyclopentadiene derivatives

The inversion of the flexible five-membered ring in tetrahydrodicyclopentadiene (TH-DCPD) derivatives remains fast on the NMR timescale even at 103 K. Since the intramolecular exchange process could not be sufficiently slowed for spectroscopic evaluation, the conformational equilibrium is thus inaccessible by dynamic NMR. Fortunately, the spatial magnetic properties of the aryl and carbonyl groups attached to the DCPD skeleton can be employed in order to evaluate the conformational state of the system. In this context, the anisotropic effects of the functional groups in the (1)H NMR spectra prove to be the molecular response property of spatial nucleus independent chemical shifts (NICS).     

Structural chemistry of polycyclic heteroaromatic compounds. Part 13. Photoelectron spectra and electronic structures of tricyclic hetarenes of the anthracene type.

The ultraviolet photoelectron spectra of two tricyclic heteroaromatic compounds (2,3) that are pi-isoelectronic with anthracene (1) have been recorded and analysed making use of semi-empirical AM1 and PM3, as well as density functional theory (DFT) B3LYP calculations. In compounds 2 and 3, one peripheral benzene ring of compound 1 is substituted by a thiophene ring that is either [b]- or [c]-annellated. In compounds 2 and 3, only small shifts are found for most of the ionization potentials of pi electrons. Since the ionization energies of all occupied pi molecular orbitals of compounds 1-3 could be assigned, a direct comparison of their pi electron energy is possible. Compared with compound 1, the pi-electron system of naphtho[2,3-b]thiophene (2) is stabilized by 0.6 eV, while that of naphtho[2,3-c]thiophene (3) is destabilized by 0.2 eV. [b]-Annellation of the thiophene ring is thus favourable while [c]-annellation is unfavourable.     

Quantitative determination of intermolecular interactions with fluorinated aromatic rings

The chemical double mutant cycle approach has been used to investigate substituent effects on intermolecular interactions between aromatic rings and pentafluorophenyl pi-systems. The complexes have been characterised using 1H and 19F NMR titrations, X-ray crystal structures of model compounds and molecular mechanics calculations. In the molecular zipper system used for these experiments, H-bonds and the geometries of the interacting surfaces favour the approach of the edge of the aromatic ring with the face of the pentafluorophenyl pi-system. The interactions are generally repulsive and this repulsion increases with more electron-withdrawing substituents up to a limit of +2.2 kJ mol(-1), when the complex distorts to minimise the unfavourable interaction. Strongly electron-donating groups cause a change in the geometry of the aromatic interaction and attractive stacking interactions are found (-1.6 kJ mol(-1) for NMe2). These results are generally consistent with an electrostatic model: the polarisation of the pentafluorophenyl ring leads to a partial positive charge located at the centre and this leads to repulsive interactions with the positive charges on the protons on the edge of the aromatic ring; when the aromatic ring has a high pi-electron density there is a large electrostatic driving force in favour of the stacked geometry which places this pi-electron density over the centre of the positive charge on the pentafluorophenyl group.     

A carbon-13 cp/mas NMR investigation of the conformation of substituted cyclohexanes in thiourea inclusion compounds

Inclusion compounds of several monosubstituted cyclohexanes and thiourea have been studied using high-resolution ¹³C CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy. The ¹³C NMR chemical shifts of the substituted cyclohexane ring are sensitive to the conformation of the substituent and allow one to predict qualitatively the relative populations of the axial and equatorial conformers. For methylcyclohexane trapped in thiourea the methyl substituent prefers the equatorial conformation while for the cyclohexyl halides (Cl, Br and I) the axial conformer is preferred. In the case of fluorocyclohexane the equatorial conformer appears to predominate; however, this conformer is in rapid equilibrium with the axial conformer.     

N‐arylhexahydropyrimidines. Part 1. Synthesis and 1H NMR characterization of 1,3‐Di and 1,2,3‐trisubstituted derivatives

A series of N‐arylhexahydropyrimidines la‐1 were synthesized by condensation of N‐aryl‐N'‐alkyl‐ (or aryl)‐1,3‐propanediamines 2a‐h with aldehydes. Reactions with formaldehyde proceeded in hydroalcoholic solution, while condensation with aromatic aldehydes required in general the use of activated molecular sieves. ¹H NMR spectra of compounds la‐1 were analyzed and the results correlated with their conforma‐tional features. Derivatives devoid of a 2‐substituent la‐g show fast ring reversal and N‐inversion. The presence of a 2‐aryl group shifts the ring reversal equilibrium towards conformations where the 2‐aryl substituent is equatorial. Differential assignment of axial and equatorial hydrogens in these compounds was made on the basis of coupling constants and chemical shift values. In compound 1k spectral data suggest the axial orientation of the N‐methyl group. Such findings were confirmed in the corresponding NOESY spectrum.     

Konformative Beweglichkeit Flexibler Ringsysteme—XIII: Untersuchungen mit Hilfe der Protonenresonanzspektroskopie die Konformation des Ungesättigten Siebenringes im Benzocyclohepten und in symmetrisch substituierten derivaten

The confromations of the unsaturated seven membered ring in 4,4,6,6-tetradeuterium-1,2-benzocycloheptene-(1) ( 1 ) and five benzocycloheptene derivatives were determined by NMR spectroscopy. For all investigated compounds at ?80°C only one conformer was present in detectable quantity. By analysis of the NMR data – molecular symmetry, coupling constants and chemical shift – it can be shown that the conformation is always the chair form. The free conformational enthalpy of both the other conformations with boat or twist form of the ring is for all six compounds more than 1.8 kcal/mole. The experimental results agree with those from model calculations: thus for benzocycloheptene, the 5,5-dimethyl derivative ( 2 ) and the 4,4,6,6-tetramethyl derivative ( 4 ) the lowest energy was found for the chair conformation; the second most stable conformations were found to be the boat for 1 and 4 , and the twist form for 2 .     

Parallel synthesis of diarylureas and their evaluation as inhibitors of insulin-like growth factor receptor

Diarylurea (DAU) compounds, particularly species composed of a heteroaryl ring system conjugated through a urea linkage to a substituted arene, were previously identified by the screening of a diverse chemical library to be active against the insulin growth factor receptor (IGF-1R). DAU compounds 4{a,b} were synthesized in parallel by the coupling of aryl amines 2{a} with aryl isocyanates 3{b}. Preparative RP-HPLC purification was found necessary to remove an impurity 5{b}, the symmetric urea resulting from the hydrolytic degradation of aryl isocyanates. Two libraries of DAU compounds were prepared to perform preliminary optimization of the two-ring systems for inhibitory activity against IGF-1R. In the first library, we explored a series of heteroaryl ring systems and found the 4-aminoquinaldine ring system to be optimal among those evaluated. The second library fixed the 4-aminoquinaldine ring system and we evaluated a series of substituted arenes conjugated to it. Overall, eight compounds based on the 4-aminoquinaldine heteroaryl system were found to have moderate activity against IGF-1R with IC(50) values better than 40 microM.     

The anisotropic effect of functional groups in H NMR spectra is the molecular response property of spatial NICS—the frozen conformational equilibria of 9-arylfluorenes

Rotation about the single bond adjoining the aryl and fluorene moieties in 9-arylfluorenes can be frozen out on the NMR timescale if methyl groups are located at either one or both of the ortho positions of the aryl substituent. In the ground-state of these rotamers, the planes of the aryl and fluorene moieties are perpendicular to each other and the methyl substituents are consequently positioned either above the fluorene moiety or in-plane with it; thus, the methyl protons are either shielded or deshielded, respectively, due to the ring current effect of the fluorene moiety. This anisotropic effect on the ¹H chemical shifts of the methyl protons has been quantified on the basis of through-space NMR shieldings (TSNMRS) and subsequently Δδ_calcd compared with the experimentally observed chemical shift differences, Δδ_exp. In this context, the experimental anisotropic effects of functional groups in the ¹H NMR have proven to quantitatively be the molecular response property of theoretical spatial nucleus independent chemical shieldings (NICS). Differences between Δδ_calcd and Δδ_exp were, for the first time, also quantified as arising from steric compression.     

Determination of the preferred conformation of the bicyclic Galerucella pheromone using density functional theory optimization and calculations of chemical shifts

A pheromone from the beetle, Galerucella calmariensis, was recently isolated and identified (Bartelt, R. J. et al. J. Chem. Ecol. 2006, 32, 693-712) as a 14-carbon, bicyclic dimethylfuran lactone, with the systematic name 12,13-dimethyl-5,14-dioxabicyclo[9.2.1]tetradeca-1(13),11-dien-4-one. The main 12-membered lactone ring is very flexible; as a result, there exist multiple possible conformations. The preferred conformation cannot be deduced solely from room-temperature NMR measurements. Using density functional (DFT) studies, 26 unique conformers with energies within 10.0 kcal/mol of the global minimum-energy structure were found. A mirror-image plane exists so that each conformer has an "inverse" structure with the same energy, for which the dihedral angles around the flexible ring have opposite sign. The isotropic 1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts of the DFT-optimized structures were calculated using the gauge-including atomic orbital (GIAO) method. By considering the relative energies of the conformers and the calculated and observed NMR spectra, we concluded that the molecule exists primarily as a mixture of two distinct conformers at room temperature, each being present with its mirror-image inverse. Structural interconversions among these likely occur on a time scale that is fast compared to the NMR experiments. Using mode-following and dihedral-driving techniques, several potential pathways were found for the conversion of the lowest-energy conformer to its mirror-image structure. Ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) using the 4-31G basis set was carried out for 50 ps to test the availability of various low-energy minima and the transition states found from the searches noted above.     

Aromatic amines: a comparison of electron-donor strengths

The electron-donor abilities of ten aminophenyl systems and an additional aminothienyl system are compared using density functional theory calculations. The systems studied here include those with amine nitrogen atoms bearing alkyl or aryl groups and those with amine nitrogen atoms as part of a heterocycle. Their abilities to act as donors in electron-transfer processes are assessed from calculated vertical ionization potentials for the aminobenzenes, which are in good agreement with available experimental data. Their abilities to act as intramolecular pi-electron donors in conjugated systems are inferred from the bond lengths and charge densities calculated for the corresponding 4-aminobenzaldehydes and 4-aminobenzonitriles. The computed (13)C NMR chemical shifts for the 4-aminobenzaldehydes and 4-aminobenzonitriles are in good agreement with published and new experimental data. The chemical shifts correlate well with the computed charge densities and can, to some extent, be used as an experimental probe of pi-donor strength. We find that the electron-transfer-donor strengths do not correlate well with pi-donor strengths: these differences can largely be attributed to steric effects.     

Extreme projection of a proton into the pi-cloud of an aromatic ring: record shielding of an aromatic proton in trans-10b-methyl-10c-(1-naphthyl)-10b,10c-dihydropyrene

A synthetic sequence involving dithiametacyclophane --> metacyclophanediene --> dihydropyrene was employed to prepare trans-10b-methyl-10c-(2-naphthyl)- and trans-10b-methyl-10c-(1-naphthyl)-10b,10c-dihydropyrene 5 and 6, respectively. Both exhibit a strong diamagnetic ring current despite the introduction of an internal bulky substituent within the pi-electron cloud. Their electronic spectra suggest interaction between the two near-perpendicular naphthyl and dihydropyrenyl pi systems, resulting in red shift and band broadening. All naphthyl protons are well resolved in their 1H NMR spectra due to a strong shielding effect of the dihydropyrene ring. The most shielded protons in 5 and 6 are H1' and H2' at delta 2.47 and 1.42, respectively, being 5.25 and 5.95 ppm shifted from those of reference protons. There is evidence for free rotation on the NMR time scale of the 2-naphthyl ring in 5 with a preference for a particular conformer, whereas the 1-naphthyl ring in 6 is conformationally rigid with its H2' projecting deeply into the pi-cloud, thus accounting for the most shielded aromatic proton (H2' in 6) reported to date.     

A comparative study between para‐aminophenyl and ortho‐aminophenyl benzothiazoles using NMR and DFT calculations

Ortho‐substituted and para‐substituted aminophenyl benzothiazoles were synthesised and characterised using NMR spectroscopy. A comparison of the proton chemical shift values reveals significant differences in the observed chemical shift values for the NH protons indicating the presence of a hydrogen bond in all ortho‐substituted compounds as compared to the para compounds. The presence of intramolecular hydrogen bond in the ortho amino substituted aminophenyl benzothiazole forces the molecule to be planar which may be an additional advantage in developing these compounds as Alzheimer's imaging agent because the binding to amyloid fibrils prefers planar compounds. The splitting pattern of the methylene proton next to the amino group also showed significant coupling to the amino proton consistent with the notion of the existence of slow exchange and hydrogen bond in the ortho‐substituted compounds. This is further verified by density functional theory calculations which yielded a near planar low energy conformer for all the o‐aminophenyl benzothiazoles and displayed a hydrogen bond from the amine proton to the nitrogen of the thiazole ring. A detailed analysis of the ¹H, ¹³C and ¹⁵N NMR chemical shifts and density functional theory calculated structures of the compounds are described. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Conformational equilibrium in 8-methyl-cis-2-thiahydrindane and 8-methyl-cis-2-oxahydrindane by 13C NMR spectroscopy

The preferred conformation of 8-methyl-cis-thiahydrindane has been both estimated by ¹³C NMR chemical shifts and determined by low temperature ¹³C NMR spectroscopy to be the conformer with the methyl group equatorial with respect to the cyclohexane ring. This result is in disagreement with the interpretation of the temperature dependence of the CD spectra of (+) and (?) 8-methyl-cis-2-thiahydrindane, whereby the conformation with the methyl group axial with respect to the cyclohexane ring was claimed to be the preferred conformation. The preferred conformation of the related oxygen heterocycle, 8-methyl-cis-2-oxahydrindane, has been estimated by ¹³C NMR chemical shifts to be the conformer with the methyl group axial with respect to the cyclohexane ring. Possible reasons for these observations are discussed.     

Conformational properties of penicillins: quantum chemical calculations and molecular dynamics simulations of benzylpenicillin

Herein, we present theoretical results on the conformational properties of benzylpenicillin, which are characterized by means of quantum chemical calculations (MP2/6-31G* and B3LYP/6-31G*) and classical molecular dynamics simulations (5 ns) both in the gas phase and in aqueous solution. In the gas phase, the benzylpenicillin conformer in which the thiazolidine ring has the carboxylate group oriented axially is the most favored one. Both intramolecular CH. O and dispersion interactions contribute to stabilize the axial conformer with respect to the equatorial one. In aqueous solution, a molecular dynamics simulation predicts a relative population of the axial:equatorial conformers of 0.70:0.30 in consonance with NMR experimental data. Overall, the quantum chemical calculations as well as the simulations give insight into substituent effects, the conformational dynamics of benzylpenicillin, the frequency of ring-puckering motions, and the correlation of side chain and ring-puckering motions.     

Characterization of 2‐aryl‐1,3,4‐oxadiazoles by 15N and 13C NMR spectroscopy

¹⁵N NMR chemical shifts of 2‐aryl‐1,3,4‐oxadiazoles were assigned on the basis of the ¹H–¹⁵N HMBC experiment. Chemical shifts of the nitrogen and carbon atoms in the oxadiazole ring correlate with the Hammett σ‐constants of substituents in the aryl ring (r² ≥ 0.966 for N atoms). ¹⁵N NMR data are a suitable and sensitive means for characterizing long‐range electronic substituent effects. Additionally, ¹³C NMR data for these compounds are presented. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coumaraz‐2‐on‐4‐ylidene: Ambiphilic N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes with a Tunable Electronic Structure

Herein, a coumaraz‐2‐on‐4‐ylidene ( 1 ) as a new example of an ambiphilic N‐heterocyclic carbene, having electronic properties that can be fine‐tuned, is reported. The N‐carbamic and aryl groups on the carbene carbon center provide exceptionally high electrophilicity and nucleophilicity simultaneously to the carbene center, as evidenced by the ⁷⁷Se NMR chemical shifts of their selenoketone derivatives and the CO stretching strengths of their rhodium carbonyl complexes. Since the precursors of 1 could be synthesized from various functionalized Schiff bases in a practical and scalable manner, the electronic properties of 1 can be fine‐tuned in a quantitative and predictable way by using the Hammett σ constant of the functional groups on aryl ring. The facile electronic tuning capability of 1 may be applicable to eliciting novel properties in main‐group and transition‐metal chemistry.     

Synthesis and conformational analysis of 1,3-azasilinanes

1-Isopropyl-3-methyl-3-phenyl-1,3-azasilinane 1 and 1-isopropyl-3,3-dimethyl-1,3-azasilinane 2 were synthesized and a detailed analysis of their NMR spectra, conformational equilibria and ring inversion processes is presented. Low temperature ¹H/¹³C NMR spectroscopy, iteration of the ¹H NMR spectra and quantum chemical calculations showed slight predominance of the Ph_eqMe_ax over the Ph_axMe_eq conformer of 1 at low temperature. The barrier for the chair to chair interconversion of both compounds was measured to be 8.25 kcal/mol.     

Trimethylsilylation - Aid in NMR Analysis of Oligosaccharides. Assigment of 29Si and 13C NMR Spectra of Trimethylsilylated Methyl β-D-Xylobiosides by 2D NMR

The ¹H, ¹³C and ²⁹Si NMR spectra of methyl β-D-xylopyranoside and three methyl β-D-xylopyranosyl-β-D-xylopyranosides have been measured and assigned by two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy. According to the determined proton-proton coupling constants, the ring conformer ratio is essential ly the same in the studied compounds. The assigned chemical shifts provide correct substituent chemical shifts for assignments in the spectra of higher trimethylsilylated xylooligosaccharides. Heteronuclear chemical shift correlated 2D NMR spectroscopy is proven to be a usable experimental method for ²⁹Si NMR line assignment in carbohydrates. The assigned silicon shifts identify the site of glycosidation.     

Control of rotor function in light-driven molecular motors

A study is presented on the control of rotary motion of an appending rotor unit in a light-driven molecular motor. Two new light driven molecular motors were synthesized that contain aryl groups connected to the stereogenic centers. The aryl groups behave as bidirectional free rotors in three of the four isomers of the 360° rotation cycle, but rotation of the rotors is hindered in the fourth isomer. Kinetic studies of both motor and rotor functions of the two new compounds are given, using (1)H NMR, 2D-EXSY NMR, and UV-vis spectroscopy. In addition, we present the development of a new method for introducing a range of aryl substituents at the α-carbon of precursors for molecular motors. The present study shows how the molecular system can be photochemically switched between a state of free rotor rotation and a state of hindered rotation and reveals the dynamics of coupled rotary systems.     

Conformational analysis of L-prolines in water

The results of the ring conformational analysis of L-proline, N-acetyl-L-proline, and trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline by NMR combined with calculations using density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) are reported. Accurate values of 1H-1H J-couplings in water and other solvents have been determined. Using a two-site equilibrium model, the Cgamma-endo conformer of L-proline in water has been identified as intermediate between gammaTdelta [twist(Cgamma-endo, Cdelta-exo)] and gammaE [envelope(Cgamma-endo)] and the Cgamma-exo conformer as betaTgamma. Both conformers were equally populated at room temperature. The N-acetyl [cis-rotamer gammaTbeta(80%)/gammaE(20%) and trans-rotamer gammaTbeta(61%)/gammaE(39%)] and 4-hydroxy (gammaEpsilon) derivatives showed significant changes in both the population and the geometries of the preferred ring conformers. The combination of NMR predicted populations with the DFT B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,p)/IEFPCM calculations proved successful, resulting in fairly accurate predictions of J-couplings. Simulations using MD were mostly in favor of the two-site equilibrium model between Cgamma-endo and Cgamma-exo conformers, similar to that used for the analysis of NMR J-couplings. Various force fields examined for MD simulations failed to reproduce the ring conformational geometries and populations of L-proline in water accurately, while significantly better agreement with NMR was found for trans-N-acetyl-L-proline using GROMOS and AMBER force fields.