Evaluation of the origin of conformational and tautomeric preferences in N‐formylformamide – A quantum chemical study

Quantum chemical study of N‐formylformamide (NFF) was carried out at various theoretical levels and the determinate equilibrium conformations were recomputed at the high level ab initio methods such as G2MP2, G2, G3, and complete basis set (CBS)‐QB3. The computational results reveal that the amide resonance and intramolecular hydrogen bonding are two superior factors in determining the most stable conformation of diamide (DA) and amide–imidic (AI) acid tautomers, respectively. The evaluation of hydrogen bond energies predicts that the hydrogen bond (HB( strength of NFF is weaker than the malonaldehyde (MA). But the results of atoms in molecules (AIM(, natural bond orbital (NBO), and geometrical parameters are given a different order, E_HB(NFF) > E_HB(MA). Although the bond average energies of tautomerization process emphasized on more stability of AI tautomer, but our theoretical calculations reveal that the DA conformers are more stable than the AI ones. The population analyses of equilibrium conformations by NBO method also predict that the origin of tautomeric preference is mainly because of the electron delocalization of amide functional group, especially LP(N)→ π*_C?O charge transfer. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2012     

Polymorphs and Polymorphic Cocrystals of Temozolomide

Crystal polymorphism in the antitumor drug temozolomide (TMZ), cocrystals of TMZ with 4,4′‐bipyridine‐N,N′‐dioxide (BPNO), and solid‐state stability were studied. Apart from a known X‐ray crystal structure of TMZ (form 1), two new crystalline modifications, forms 2 and 3, were obtained during attempted cocrystallization with carbamazepine and 3‐hydroxypyridine‐N‐oxide. Conformers A and B of the drug molecule are stabilized by intramolecular amide N? H???N_imidazole and N? H???N_tetrazine interactions. The stable conformer A is present in forms 1 and 2, whereas both conformers crystallized in form 3. Preparation of polymorphic cocrystals I and II (TMZ?BPNO 1:0.5 and 2:1) were optimized by using solution crystallization and grinding methods. The metastable nature of polymorph 2 and cocrystal II is ascribed to unused hydrogen‐bond donors/acceptors in the crystal structure. The intramolecularly bonded amide N–H donor in the less stable structure makes additional intermolecular bonds with the tetrazine C?O group and the imidazole N atom in stable polymorph 1 and cocrystal I, respectively. All available hydrogen‐bond donors and acceptors are used to make intermolecular hydrogen bonds in the stable crystalline form. Synthon polymorphism and crystal stability are discussed in terms of hydrogen‐bond reorganization.     

Modeling the reaction mechanisms of the amide hydrolysis in an N-(o-carboxybenzoyl)-L-amino acid

Reaction mechanisms of the amide hydrolysis from the protonated, neutral, and deprotonated forms of N-(o-carboxybenzoyl)-l-amino acid have been investigated by use of the B3LYP density functional method. Our calculations reveal that in the amide hydrolysis the reaction barrier is significantly lower in solution than that in the gas phase, in contrast with the mechanism for imide formation in which the solvent has little influence on the reaction barrier. In the model reactions, the water molecules function both as a catalyst and as a reactant. The reaction mechanism starting from the neutral form of N-(o-carboxybenzoyl)-l-amino acid, which corresponds to pH 0-3, is concluded to be the most favored, and a concerted mechanism is more favorable than a stepwise mechanism. This conclusion is in agreement with experimental observations that the optimal pH range for amide hydrolysis of N-(o-carboxybenzoyl)-l-leucine is pH 0-3 where N-(o-carboxybenzoyl)-l-leucine is predominantly in its neutral form. We suggest that besides the acid-catalyzed mechanism the addition-elimination mechanism is likely to be an alternative choice for cleaving an amide bond. For the reaction mechanism initiated by protonation at the amidic oxygen (hydrogen ion concentration H(0) < -1), the reaction of the model compound with two water molecules lowers the transition barrier significantly compared with that involving a single water molecule.     

Theoretical investigation of the tautomerism of isoorotic acid in gaseous and aqueous phases

In the present investigation, the tautomeric and conformational equilibrium of isoorotic acid have been studied using Møller–Plesset second‐order (MP2) and density functional theory (DFT) methods in the gas phase and aqueous solution (ε = 78.5) using the IPCM model. The relative energies of these tautomers have been calculated at the two levels of theory using 6‐311++G** basis set. Energetics and relative stabilities of the tautomers were compared and analyzed in both the gaseous and aqueous phases. The results indicate that the diketo tautomer (iso) is the most stable form in the gas phase and water. The carboxylic substitution in the uracil ring does not alter its relative stability order of the tautomers. The proton affinity of the oxygen atoms and the deprotonation enthalpy of the NH bonds of isoorotic acid have been compared with recent data of uracil. The relative stability of both syn‐ and anti‐conformations was investigated and the syn form was found to be more stable by 17.65 kcal/mol. It was determined in ab initio calculations that an electron can attach to isoorotic acid, forming a stable anion better than uracil. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007     

Preparation,Properties and Reactions of Polychloroamine Derivatives

Highly chlorinated amine derivatives can be prepared by the high-temperature chlorination of amines and amine derivatives. Essential for the success of this reaction is an adequate temperature control suited to the constitution of the amines. In many cases the chlorination products achieve stability by cleavage reactions with formation of the imidic acid chloride or isocyanide dichloride grouping. Cyclic compounds are formed under special conditions. The chlorination process described can be used to obtain e.g. polychloroaryl and polychloroalkyl isocyanide dichlorides, polychloroaryl and polychloroalkyl imidic acid chlorides, and polychloroheterocyclic compounds.     

Quantum chemical studies on prototautomerism of 1H‐imidazo[4,5‐c]pyridine

The structural features of the 1H‐imidazo[4,5‐c]pyridine (ICPY) tautomers and homodimers of the most stable tautomers have been studied by quantum chemical methods. FTIR and Raman spectra of the ICPY were recorded in the range of 4000–60 cm^?1 and 3500–5 cm^?1. The predominant tautomer among four possible isomers of ICPY were determined. The optimized geometries and vibrational frequencies of possible ICPY tautomers and dimers were computed by B3LYP/DFT method with 6‐311++G(d,p) and 6‐31G(d) basis sets. All vibrational frequencies assigned in detail with the help of total energy distribution (TED) and isotopic shifts. ICPY dimeric forms were also characterized according to their hydrogen bonding interactions, and it has been found that the most stable ICPY homodimer establishes moderate strong N ? H …N type hydrogen bond. ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and ¹⁵N NMR properties have been calculated for all tautomeric forms using the gauge independent atomic orbital (GIAO) method. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

DFT Calculations on Hydrogen-Bonded Complexes Formed Between Guanine and Acrylamide

B3LYP/6-311+G* theoretical calculations have been employed to investigate the complexes involving hydrogen bonding between guanine and acrylamide. Nine stable conformers were obtained by geometry optimization without imaginary frequencies. The calculation results revealed that the stability of these complexes was accounted for by the intensity and numbers of hydrogen bonds between guanine and acrylamide, which was proved by the energy analysis and the topological properties at the critical points. In these optimized complexes, the complex with three hydrogen bonds was the most stable one because it offered the biggest binding energy. Clearly, the hydrogen bonds appear to be crucial in the stability of these complexes. This work will provide another nosogenetic interpretation besides the covalent interactions between DNA and acrylamide, which are of interest for studying DNA mutation.     

From Single Molecule to Crystal: Mapping Out the Conformations of Tartaric Acids and Their Derivatives

Stereoisomers of one of the most important organic compounds, tartaric acid, optically active and meso as well as the ester or amide derivatives, can show diverse structures related to the rotation around the three carbon–carbon bonds. This study determines the controlling factors for conformational changes of these molecules in vacuo, in solution, and in the crystalline state using DFT calculations, spectroscopic measurements, and X‐ray diffraction. All structural variations can be logically accounted for by the possibility of formation and breaking of hydrogen bonds between the hydroxy or amide donors and oxygen acceptors, among these the hydrogen bonds that close five‐membered rings being the most stable. These findings are useful in designing molecular and crystal structures of highly polar, polyfunctional, chiral compounds.     

Different ESIPT Mechanisms for Angular‐Shaped Quinacridone in Toluene and Dimethyl Formamide (DMF) Solvents: A Theoretical Study

Adopting density functional theory (DFT) and time‐dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) methods, we investigat and present two different excited‐state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) mechanisms of angular‐quinacridone (a‐QD) in both toluene and DMF,theoretically. Comparing the primary structural variations of a‐QD involved in the intramolecular hydrogen bond, we conclude that N1–H2⋯O3 should be strengthened in the S₁ state, which may facilitate the ESIPT process. Particularly, in toluene, the S₁‐state‐stable a‐QD enol* could not be located because of the non‐barrier ESIPT process. Concomitantly, infrared vibrational spectral analysis further verified the stability of the hydrogen bond. In addition, the role of charge–transfer interaction has been addressed under the frontier molecular orbitals (MOs), which depicts the nature of the electronic excited state and supports the ESIPT reaction. The potential energy curves according to variational N1–H2 coordinate demonstrates that the proton transfer process should occur spontaneously in toluene; however, in DMF, a low potential energy barrier of 0.493 kcal/mol is needed to complete the ESIPT reaction. Although this barrier of 0.493 kcal/mol is too low to make an important impact on the ESIPT reaction, just because of the existence of barrier, ESIPT mechanisms in toluene and DMF are different.     

meso‐N,N′‐Oxalyl­divaline

The title compound, 2,2′‐(oxalyldiimino)bis(3‐methylbutanoic acid), C₁₂H₂₀N₂O₆, possesses a centre of symmetry. In the crystal, mol­ecules are connected by hydrogen bonds between ox­amide and carboxyl groups, similar to the pattern of the monoclinic forms of HO–Gly–CO–CO–Gly–OH and HO–Aib–CO–CO–Aib–OH (Gly is glycine and Aib is 2‐amino­isobutyric acid). The characteristic torsion angles in the title compound are close to those in peptide α‐helices.     

Evaluation of electroosmotic markers in aqueous and nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis

The most common method to determine the EOF in CE is to measure the migration time for a neutral marker. In this study, 12 compounds (three novel and some previously used) were investigated as EOF markers in aqueous and nonaqueous BGEs. In the aqueous buffer systems (ammonium acetate, sodium phosphate, and sodium borate) the evaluation included a wide pH range (2–12). Two BGEs contained chiral selectors (sulphated‐β‐CD, (?)‐diketogulonic acid) and one that contained a micellar agent (SDS) were included in the study. The majority of the evaluated compounds were found to migrate with the EOF in the water‐based BGEs and are thus useful as EOF markers. However, in the SDS‐based BGE only four of the compounds (acetone, acrylamide, DMSO, and ethanol) were found to be applicable. In the nonaqueous BGEs 11 markers (acetone, acetophenone, acrylamide, anthracene, benzene, 4‐(4‐methoxybenzylamino)‐7‐nitro‐2,1,3‐benzoxadiazole, benzyl alcohol, 2,5‐diphenyloxazole, ethanol, flavone, and mesityl oxide) seemed to be functional as EOF markers. Even though several of the evaluated compounds can be used as EOF markers in the investigated BGEs, the authors would recommend the use of acrylamide as a general marker for UV detection. Furthermore, the four fluorescent markers (of which three were novel) gave RSD values equal to the other markers and can be used for the determination of the EOF in CE or microchip CE with fluorescence detection.     

Ultra trace level determinations of acrylamide in surface and drinking water by GC–MS after derivatization with xanthydrol

A sensitive GC–MS method has been established for the determination of acrylamide in surface and drinking water based on derivatization with xanthydrol. Deuterated acrylamide (acrylamide‐d₃) was chosen as the internal standard for analyzing the water sample. The derivatization of acrylamide was performed directly in water, and the best reaction conditions (xanthydrol of 1.6 mM, HCl concentration of 0.05 M, reaction for 30 min at ambient temperature) were established by variation of parameters. Under the established conditions, the detection and quantification limits were 3.0 and 9.7 ng/L, respectively, and the interday RSD was less than 8% at concentrations of 20 and 100 ng/L.     

Coordination Chemistry of Acrylamide. 6 Synthesis and Coordination Compounds of N‐Pyrazolylpropanamide – a Versatile Acrylamide‐derived Ligand

The syntheses, spectroscopy and single crystal X‐ray structures of the multifunctional acrylamide‐derived ligand N‐pyrazolylpropanamide (= L) ( 1 ), and its complexes [L₂CuCl₂] ( 2 ) and [L₄Co₃Cl₆] ( 3 ) with copper(II) and cobalt(II) chlorides, respectively, are described. The ligand 1 is easily obtained in one step by the reaction of pyrazole with acrylamide in a 1:1 molar ratio in the presence of trimethylbenzylammonium hydroxide as a basic catalyst. The reaction of CuCl₂·2H₂O with 1 in a 1:2 metal salt:ligand molar ratio in ethanol/‐triethylorthoformate solution gave coordination compound 2 . The crystal structure of 2 contains two seven‐membered chelate rings formed by two nitrogen atoms of the pyrazolyl groups and two weakly coordinated carbonyl oxygen atoms of the substituted amide moieties. Two chloride ions in the axial positions complete a distorted octahedral coordination environment around the Cu^II atom. The reaction of CoCl₂·6H₂O with 1 in a 1:2 metal salt:ligand molar ratio afforded the unusual zwitterionic complex 3 . The crystal structure of 3 contains a central cobalt atom in an octahedral coordination surrounded by four ligands in which two of them act as chelate ligands and the other two, coordinated via the carbonyl oxygen atoms of the amide moieties to this metal center, act as bridging ligands bonded to two CoCl₃^? units.     

Thermodynamic stability of polyacrylamide and poly(N,N‐dimethyl acrylamide)

Based on theoretical thermodynamic principles, the possibility of environmental degradation of polyacrylamide to its starting monomer was investigated. Theoretical electronic structure studies on the geometry and fragmentation energy of acrylamide and N,N‐dimethyl acrylamide tetramer models were carried out using a first principles gradient corrected density functional approach. Thermal degradation to form a radical would require the cleavage of carbon–carbon bonds in the polymer chain; the energy needed for this cleavage was found to depend on the structure of the repeat unit which ranged from low of 72.5 kcal for a rare head‐to‐head construct to 86.2 kcal for a normal head‐to‐tail polymer construct (therefore, for the cleavage of a normal head‐to‐tail repeat unit, temperatures of approximately 450°C would be required). The thermodynamics of the unzipping, disproportionation, and back‐biting reactions in the resulting radical fragments were also investigated; the back‐biting process was found to require the least energy and provided the most stable radical fragment with a low probability for disproportionation or releasing of monomer to occur. The effect of solvation on the hydrogen‐bonding network in the acrylamide tetramer was studied by adding explicit molecules of water to the tetramer models. The addition of water had a significant effect on the stability of the model polymer slightly stabilizing the head‐to‐head polymer, and slightly destabilizing the head to tail polymer. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A stable dimeric mono‐coordinated NHC–Pd(II) complex: synthesis,characterization, and reactivity in Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reaction

A stable dimeric mono‐coordinated NHC–Pd(II) complex with bridging iodine atoms was synthesized and characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. It has been successfully applied to the Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reaction under aerobic conditions. Good to excellent yields were obtained in most cases with the addition of H₂O. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of solvents upon the copolymerization of acrylamide and styrene

The effect of solvents on the copolymerization of acrylamide and styrene has been studied. Copolymerization to low conversions were run in a variety of solvents which would affect the acrylamide monomer in different ways, i.e., by hydrogen bonding, by dipole–dipole interaction only, or by a combination of both. The effect upon the acrylamide was measured by the shift in the infrared spectra of the amide carbonyl and N? H groups. Essentially, both hydrogen bridging and dipole–dipole interaction affect acrylamide in the same way, as manifested by a shift in the amide carbonyl and NH towards the longer wavelength. From the standpoint of acrylamide–styrene copolymerization, the greater the shift in the NH absorption, the smaller is the amount of acrylamide that is found in the copolymer. Thus, by the proper choice of solvent, it is possible to obtain copolymers from the same monomer feed ranging in combined acrylamide from very low to very high, and reactivity ratios for acrylamide also ranging from very low to very high. Conversely, for styrene, activity ratios will range from high to low.     

Computational studies on the conformational preference of N-(Thiazol-2-yl) benzamide

N-(Thiazol-2-yl) benzamide 1 substructures are found in some of bioactive compounds. In some of protein/ligand co-crystals, the 1 moiety adopts a conformer in which the amide O and the thiazole S atoms are close. In fact, in the crystalline structure of 1 , the O—S distance is even shorter than Van der Waals radius. Although the natural bond orbital analysis finds a weak stabilizing interaction between O and S atoms, the attractive dipole–dipole interaction between the amide N─H and thiazole N atom seems to play a more significant role. Moreover, an intramolecular O—H hydrogen bonding in dimeric forms found to have an important role in the conformation preference of 1 . Computational details for the stability of conformers have been discussed using quantum theory of atoms in molecules, natural bond orbital (NBO) and noncovalent interaction index analysis.     

Ab initio Hartree-Fock investigation of 1-H-pyrrolo[3,2-b]pyridine-3-yl acetic acid

The potential energy surface of 1-H-pyrrolo[3,2-b]pyridine-3-yl acetic acid has been investigated via RIIF/6-31G* calculations. The stationary points and reaction paths for syn orientation of the COOH group were determined and are compared with those of the derivatives of 3-indole acetic acid, which act as plant growth hormones. 1-H-pyrrolo[3,2-b]pyridine-3-yl acetic acid forms a kinetically stable conformer with a strong intramolecular hydrogen bond, in which the COOH group is in anti orientation. The influence of this hydrogen bond on bond lengths and vibration frequencies is described.     

Electropolymerization of single‐walled carbon nanotubes composited with polypyrrole as a solid‐phase microextraction fiber for the detection of acrylamide in food samples using GC with electron‐capture detection

We developed a solid‐phase microextraction coupled to GC with electron‐capture detection method for the detection of acrylamide in food samples. Single‐walled carbon nanotubes and polypyrrole were electropolymerized onto a stainless‐steel wire as a coating, which possessed a homogeneous, porous, and wrinkled surface, chemical and mechanical stability, long lifespan (over 300 extractions), and good extraction efficiency for acrylamide. The linearity range between the signal intensity and the acrylamide concentration was found to be in the range 0.001–1 μg/mL, and the coefficient of determination was 0.9985. The LOD, defined as three times the baseline noise, was 0.26 ng/mL. The reproducibility for each single fiber (n = 6) and the fiber‐to‐fiber (n = 5) repeatability prepared in the same batch were less than 4.1 and 11.2%, respectively.     

Two dibenzodiazepinone molecules with dissimilar dimeric associations and apparent different tautomeric forms

In two dibenzodiazepinones, viz. the tricyclic core structure, 5H‐dibenzo[b,e]diazepin‐11(10H)‐one, C₁₃H₁₀N₂O, and an acylated derivative, 1‐(11‐hydroxy‐5H‐dibenzo[b,e]diazepin‐5‐yl)‐2‐{4‐[3‐(1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl)propyl]piperidin‐1‐yl}ethanone ethanol monosolvate, C₂₆H₂₉N₅O₂·C₂H₅OH, dimeric association via hydrogen‐bond bridging between the cyclic amide entities is evident, but there are considerable differences between the parent compound and the amidated derivative. Highly consistent with reported structures of related tricyclic lactams, two molecules of the nonsubstituted compound are bridged through two N—H...O hydrogen bonds across a crystallographic centre of symmetry and the bond lengths of the cyclic amide entity correspond to the amino–oxo (lactam) tautomeric form. In contrast, the structure of the derivative shows two similar, but crystallographically unique, molecules hydrogen bonded into a dimeric unit exhibiting an approximate (noncrystallographic) C2 axis. The bond lengths of the two derivative cyclic amide groups support their potential presence in the hydroxyimine (lactim) tautomeric forms, with the resulting possibility of intermolecular tautomerism. Likely driving forces for the two extreme configurations are discussed.