Effect of Guest–Host Hydrogen Bonding on the Structures and Properties of Clathrate Hydrates

To provide improved understanding of guest–host interactions in clathrate hydrates, we present some correlations between guest chemical structures and observations on the corresponding hydrate properties. From these correlations it is clear that directional interactions such as hydrogen bonding between guest and host are likely, although these have been ignored to greater or lesser degrees because there has been no direct structural evidence for such interactions. For the first time, single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography has been used to detect guest–host hydrogen bonding in structure II (sII) and structure H (sH) clathrate hydrates. The clathrates studied are the tert‐butylamine (tBA) sII clathrate with H₂S/Xe help gases and the pinacolone + H₂S binary sH clathrate. X‐ray structural analysis shows that the tBA nitrogen atom lies at a distance of 2.64 Å from the closest clathrate hydrate water oxygen atom, whereas the pinacolone oxygen atom is determined to lie at a distance of 2.96 Å from the closest water oxygen atom. These distances are compatible with guest–water hydrogen bonding. Results of molecular dynamics simulations on these systems are consistent with the X‐ray crystallographic observations. The tBA guest shows long‐lived guest–host hydrogen bonding with the nitrogen atom tethered to a water HO group that rotates towards the cage center to face the guest nitrogen atom. Pinacolone forms thermally activated guest–host hydrogen bonds with the lattice water molecules; these have been studied for temperatures in the range of 100–250 K. Guest–host hydrogen bonding leads to the formation of Bjerrum L‐defects in the clathrate water lattice between two adjacent water molecules, and these are implicated in the stabilities of the hydrate lattices, the water dynamics, and the dielectric properties. The reported stable hydrogen‐bonded guest–host structures also tend to blur the longstanding distinction between true clathrates and semiclathrates.     

Density functional theory and topological analysis on the hydrogen bonding interactions in cysteine‐thymine complexes

Hydrogen bonding interactions between amino acids and nucleic acid bases constitute the most important interactions responsible for the specificity of protein binding. In this study, complexes formed by hydrogen bonding interactions between cysteine and thymine have been studied by density functional theory. The relevant geometries, energies, and IR characteristics of hydrogen bonds (H‐bonds) have been systematically investigated. The quantum theory of atoms in molecule and natural bond orbital analysis have also been applied to understand the nature of the hydrogen bonding interactions in complexes. More than 10 kinds of H‐bonds including intra‐ and intermolecular H‐bonds have been found in complexes. Most of intermolecular H‐bonds involve O (or N) atom as H‐acceptor, whereas the H‐bonds involving C or S atom usually are weaker than other ones. Both the strength of H‐bonds and the structural deformation are responsible for the stability of complexes. Because of the serious deformation, the complex involving the strongest H‐bond is not the most stable structures. Relationships between H‐bond length (ΔR_X‐H), frequency shifts (Δv), and the electron density (ρ_b) and its Laplace (?²ρ_b) at bond critical points have also been investigated. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Crystallographic studies of cinnamamide derivatives as a means of searching for anticonvulsant activity

A cinnamamide (3‐phenylprop‐2‐enamide) core is present in many pharmacologically active compounds. We report three new crystal structures of N‐substituted cinnamamide derivatives which were screened for anticonvulsant activity, namely (R ,S )‐(2E )‐N‐(2‐hydroxypropyl)‐3‐phenylprop‐2‐enamide, C₁₂H₁₅NO₂, ( 1 ), (R ,S )‐(2E )‐N‐(1‐hydroxybutan‐2‐yl)‐3‐phenylprop‐2‐enamide, C₁₃H₁₇NO₂, ( 2 ), and (2E )‐1‐(4‐hydroxypiperidin‐1‐yl)‐3‐phenylprop‐2‐en‐1‐one, C₁₄H₁₇NO₂, ( 3 ). Compounds ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) crystallize in the Pbca space group with one molecule in the asymmetric unit, whereas compound ( 3 ) crystallizes in the P 2₁/c space group with two molecules in the asymmetric unit. All the crystal structures are stabilized by intermolecular O—H…O hydrogen bonds and additionally by N—H…O hydrogen bonds in the structures of ( 1 ) and ( 2 ). The investigated compounds possess fragments that are considered as beneficial for anticonvulsant activity. The conformations of these compounds were analyzed in comparison with the characteristic features of the proposed pharmacophore model of anticonvulsants active in the maximal electroshock test, i.e. a phenyl ring or other hydrophobic unit, an electron‐donor atom and a hydrogen‐bond acceptor/donor domain. In the reported series, two calculated distances fitted the reference model, while the third did not. Structure–activity analysis suggests that anticonvulsant properties may be related to the N‐atom substituent. It is beneficial to combine an electron‐donor atom (e.g. an O atom) with an H atom in the substituent to ensure appropriate interactions with the molecular target. We analyzed the intermolecular interactions in order to find an appropriate spatial arrangement of the important features responsible for anticonvulsant activity.     

Structures,vibrational frequencies,topologies, and energies of hydrogen bonds in cysteine‐formaldehyde complexes

The hydrogen bonding interactions between cysteine (Cys) and formaldehyde (FA) were studied with density functional theory regarding their geometries, energies, vibrational frequencies, and topological features of the electron density. The quantum theory of atoms in molecules and natural bond orbital analyses were employed to elucidate the interaction characteristics in the Cys‐FA complexes. The intramolecular hydrogen bonds (H‐bonds) formed between the hydroxyl and the N atom of cysteine moiety in some Cys‐FA complexes were strengthened because of the cooperativity. Most of intermolecular H‐bonds involve the O atom of cysteine/FA moiety as proton acceptors, while the strongest H‐bond involves the O atom of FA moiety as proton acceptor, which indicates that FA would rather accept proton than providing one. The H‐bonds formed between the CH group of FA and the S atom of cysteine in some complexes are so weak that no hydrogen bonding interactions exist among them. In most of complexes, the orbital interaction of H‐bond is predominant during the formation of complex. The electron density (ρ_b) and its Laplace (?²ρ_b) at the bond critical point significantly correlate with the H‐bond parameter δR, while a linearly relationship between the second‐perturbation energy E(2) and ρ_b has been found as well. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2012     

2‐(Benzoylsulfanyl)acetic acid and 2,5‐dioxopyrrolidin‐1‐yl 2‐(benzoylsulfanyl)acetate by powder X‐ray diffraction studies

The structures of the title compounds, C₉H₈O₃S, (I), and C₁₃H₁₁NO₅S, (II), were determined by X‐ray powder diffraction. Both were solved using the direct‐space parallel tempering algorithm and refined using the Rietveld method. In (I), the C—S—C bond angle is slightly smaller than normal, indicating more p character in the bonding orbitals of the S atom. The carboxylic acid group joins across an inversion centre to form a dimer. The crystal packing includes a weak C—H...O hydrogen bond between an aromatic C—H group and a carboxylic acid O atom to form a two‐dimensional network parallel to (10). The C—S—C bond angle in (II) is larger than its counterpart in (I), indicating that the S atom of (II) has less p character in its bonding orbitals than that of (I), according to Bent's rule. The crystal structure of (II) includes weak C—H...O hydrogen bonds between the H atoms of the methylene groups and carbonyl O atoms, forming a three‐dimensional network.     

Halogen‐ and Hydrogen‐Bonded Salts and Co‐crystals Formed from 4‐Halo‐2,3,5,6‐tetrafluorophenol and Cyclic Secondary and Tertiary Amines: Orthogonal and Non‐orthogonal Halogen and Hydrogen Bonding,and Synthetic Analogues of Halogen‐Bonded Biological Systems

Co‐crystallisation of, in particular, 4‐iodotetrafluorophenol with a series of secondary and tertiary cyclic amines results in deprotonation of the phenol and formation of the corresponding ammonium phenate. Careful examination of the X‐ray single‐crystal structures shows that the phenate anion develops a C?O double bond and that the C?C bond lengths in the ring suggest a Meissenheimer‐like delocalisation. This delocalisation is supported by the geometry of the phenate anion optimised at the MP2(Full) level of theory within the aug‐cc‐pVDZ basis (aug‐cc‐pVDZ‐PP on I) and by natural bond orbital (NBO) analyses. With sp² hybridisation at the phenate oxygen atom, there is strong preference for the formation of two non‐covalent interactions with the oxygen sp² lone pairs and, in the case of secondary amines, this occurs through hydrogen bonding to the ammonium hydrogen atoms. However, where tertiary amines are concerned, there are insufficient hydrogen atoms available and so an electrophilic iodine atom from a neighbouring 4‐iodotetrafluorophenate group forms an I???O halogen bond to give the second interaction. However, in some co‐crystals with secondary amines, it is also found that in addition to the two hydrogen bonds forming with the phenate oxygen sp² lone pairs, there is an additional intermolecular I???O halogen bond in which the electrophilic iodine atom interacts with the C?O π‐system. All attempts to reproduce this behaviour with 4‐bromotetrafluorophenol were unsuccessful. These structural motifs are significant as they reproduce extremely well, in low‐molar‐mass synthetic systems, motifs found by Ho and co‐workers when examining halogen‐bonding interactions in biological systems. The analogy is cemented through the structures of co‐crystals of 1,4‐diiodotetrafluorobenzene with acetamide and with N‐methylbenzamide, which, as designed models, demonstrate the orthogonality of hydrogen and halogen bonding proposed in Ho’s biological study.     

Three‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonded structures in the hydrated proton‐transfer salts of isonipecotamide with the dicarboxylic oxalic and adipic acid homologues

The structures of the 1:1 hydrated proton‐transfer compounds of isonipecotamide (piperidine‐4‐carboxamide) with oxalic acid, 4‐carbamoylpiperidinium hydrogen oxalate dihydrate, C₆H₁₃N₂O⁺·C₂HO₄⁻·2H₂O, (I), and with adipic acid, bis(4‐carbamoylpiperidinium) adipate dihydrate, 2C₆H₁₃N₂O⁺·C₆H₈O₄²⁻·2H₂O, (II), are three‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonded constructs involving several different types of enlarged water‐bridged cyclic associations. In the structure of (I), the oxalate monoanions give head‐to‐tail carboxylic acid O—H...O_carboxyl hydrogen‐bonding interactions, forming C(5) chain substructures which extend along a. The isonipecotamide cations also give parallel chain substructures through amide N—H...O hydrogen bonds, the chains being linked across b and down c by alternating water bridges involving both carboxyl and amide O‐atom acceptors and amide and piperidinium N—H...O_carboxyl hydrogen bonds, generating cyclic R₄³(10) and R₃²(11) motifs. In the structure of (II), the asymmetric unit comprises a piperidinium cation, half an adipate dianion, which lies across a crystallographic inversion centre, and a solvent water molecule. In the crystal structure, the two inversion‐related cations are interlinked through the two water molecules, which act as acceptors in dual amide N—H...O_water hydrogen bonds, to give a cyclic R₄²(8) association which is conjoined with an R₄⁴(12) motif. Further N—H...O_water, water O—H...O_amide and piperidinium N—H...O_carboxyl hydrogen bonds give the overall three‐dimensional structure. The structures reported here further demonstrate the utility of the isonipecotamide cation as a synthon for the generation of stable hydrogen‐bonded structures. The presence of solvent water molecules in these structures is largely responsible for the non‐occurrence of the common hydrogen‐bonded amide–amide dimer, promoting instead various expanded cyclic hydrogen‐bonding motifs.     

The Intermolecular S?H⋅⋅⋅Y (Y=S,O) Hydrogen Bond in the H2S Dimer and the H2S–MeOH Complex

The nature of the S? H???S hydrogen‐bonding interaction in the H₂S dimer and its structure has been the focus of several theoretical studies. This is partly due to its structural similarity and close relationship with the well‐studied water dimer and partly because it represents the simplest prototypical example of hydrogen bonding involving a sulfur atom. Although there is some IR data on the H₂S dimer and higher homomers from cold matrix experiments, there are no IR spectroscopic reports on S? H???S hydrogen bonding in the gas phase to‐date. We present experimental evidence using VUV ionization‐detected IR‐predissociation spectroscopy (VUV‐ID‐IRPDS) for this weak hydrogen‐bonding interaction in the H₂S dimer. The proton‐donating S? H bond is found to be red‐shifted by 31 cm^?1. We were also able to observe and assign the symmetric (ν₁) stretch of the acceptor and an unresolved feature owing to the free S? H of the donor and the antisymmetric (ν₃) SH stretch of the acceptor. In addition we show that the heteromolecular H₂S–MeOH complex, for which both S? H???O and O? H???S interactions are possible, is S‐H???O bound.     

A new three‐dimensional CdII supramolecular framework constructed from the 1‐[(1H‐tetrazol‐5‐yl)methyl]‐1,4‐diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane ligand

A new tetrazole–metal supramolecular compound, di‐μ‐chlorido‐bis(trichlorido{1‐[(1H‐tetrazol‐5‐yl‐κN²)methyl]‐1,4‐diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane}cadmium(II)), [Cd₂(C₈H₁₆N₆)₂Cl₈], has been synthesized and structurally characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. In the structure, each Cd^II cation is coordinated by five Cl atoms (two bridging and three terminal) and by one N atom from the 1‐[(1H‐tetrazol‐5‐yl)methyl]‐1,4‐diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane ligand, adopting a slightly distorted octahedral coordination geometry. The bridging bicyclo[2.2.2]octane and chloride ligands link the Cd^II cations into one‐dimensional ribbon‐like N—H...Cl hydrogen‐bonded chains along the b axis. An extensive hydrogen‐bonding network formed by N—H...Cl and C—H...Cl hydrogen bonds, and interchain π–π stacking interactions between adjacent tetrazole rings, consolidate the crystal packing, linking the poymeric chains into a three‐dimensional supramolecular network.     

Cinnamamide pharmacophore for anticonvulsant activity: evidence from crystallographic studies

A number of cinnamamide derivatives possess anticonvulsant activity due to the presence of a number of important pharmacophore elements in their structures. In order to study the correlations between anticonvulsant activity and molecular structure, the crystal structures of three new cinnamamide derivatives with proven anticonvulsant activity were determined by X‐ray diffraction, namely (R,S)‐(2E)‐N‐(2‐hydroxybutyl)‐3‐phenylprop‐2‐enamide–water (3/1), C₁₃H₁₇NO₂·0.33H₂O, ( 1 ), (2E)‐N‐(1‐hydroxy‐2‐methylpropan‐2‐yl)‐3‐phenylprop‐2‐enamide, C₁₃H₁₇NO₂, ( 2 ), and (R,S)‐(2E)‐N‐(1‐hydroxy‐3‐methyl‐butan‐2‐yl)‐3‐phenylprop‐2‐enamide, C₁₄H₁₉NO₂, ( 3 ). Compound ( 1 ) crystallizes in the space group P with three molecules in the asymmetric unit, whereas compounds ( 2 ) and ( 3 ) crystallize in the space group P2₁/c with one and two molecules, respectively, in their asymmetric units. The carbonyl group of ( 2 ) is engaged in an intramolecular hydrogen bond with the hydroxy group. This type of interaction is observed for the first time in these kinds of derivatives. A disorder of the substituent at the N atom occurs in the crystal structures of ( 2 ) and ( 3 ). The crystal packing of all three structures is dominated by a network of O—H…O and N—H…O hydrogen bonds, and leads to the formation of chains and/or rings. Furthermore, the crystal structures are stabilized by numerous C—H…O contacts. We analyzed the molecular structures and intermolecular interactions in order to propose a pharmacophore model for cinnamamide derivatives.     

The double H‐atom acceptability of the P=O group in new XP(O)(NHCH2C6H4‐2‐Cl)2 phosphoramidates [X = C6H5O– and CF3C(O)NH–]: a database analysis of compounds having a P(O)(NHR) group

In the hydrogen‐bond patterns of phenyl bis(2‐chlorobenzylamido)phosphinate, C₂₀H₁₉Cl₂N₂O₂P, (I), and N,N′‐bis(2‐chlorobenzyl)‐N′′‐(2,2,2‐trifluoroacetyl)phosphoric triamide, C₁₆H₁₅Cl₂F₃N₃O₂P, (II), the O atoms of the related phosphoryl groups act as double H‐atom acceptors, so that the P=O...(H—N)₂ hydrogen bond in (I) and the P=O...(H—N_amide)₂ and C=O...H—N_C(O)NHP(O) hydrogen bonds in (II) are responsible for the aggregation of the molecules in the crystal packing. The presence of a double H‐atom acceptor centre is a result of the involvement of a greater number of H‐atom donor sites with a smaller number of H‐atom acceptor sites in the hydrogen‐bonding interactions. This article also reviews structures having a P(O)NH group, with the aim of finding similar three‐centre hydrogen bonds in the packing of phosphoramidate compounds. This analysis shows that the factors affecting the preference of the above‐mentioned O atom to act as a double H‐atom acceptor are: (i) a higher number of H‐atom donor sites relative to H‐atom acceptor centres in molecules with P(=O)(NH)₃, (N)P(=O)(NH)₂, C(=O)NHP(=O)(NH)₂ and (NH)₂P(=O)OP(=O)(NH)₂ groups, and (ii) the remarkable H‐atom acceptability of this atom relative to the other acceptor centre(s) in molecules containing an OP(=O)(NH)₂ group, with the explanation that the N atom bound to the P atom in almost all of the structures found does not take part in hydrogen bonding as an acceptor. Moreover, the differences in the H‐atom acceptability of the phosphoryl O atom relative to the O atom of the alkoxy or phenoxy groups in amidophosphoric acid esters may be illustrated by considering the molecular packing of compounds having (O)₂P(=O)(NH) and (O)P(=O)(NH)(N)groups, in which the unique N—H unit in the above‐mentioned molecules almost always selects the phosphoryl O atom as a partner in forming hydrogen‐bond interactions. The P atoms in (I) and (II) are in tetrahedral coordination environments, and the phosphoryl and carbonyl groups in (II) are anti with respect to each other (the P and C groups are separated by one N atom). In the crystal structures of (I) and (II), adjacent molecules are linked via the above‐mentioned hydrogen bonds into a linear arrangement parallel to [100] in both cases, in (I) by forming R₂²(8) rings and in (II) through a combination of R₂²(10) and R₂¹(6) rings.     

Three new quinuclidine‐based structures: second harmonic generation response for 1,2‐bis(1‐azoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octan‐3‐ylidene)hydrazine dichloride

The crystal structures of three quinuclidine‐based compounds, namely (1‐azabicyclo[2.2.2]octan‐3‐ylidene)hydrazine monohydrate, C₇H₁₃N₃·H₂O ( 1 ), 1,2‐bis(1‐azabicyclo[2.2.2]octan‐3‐ylidene)hydrazine, C₁₄H₂₂N₄ ( 2 ), and 1,2‐bis(1‐azoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octan‐3‐ylidene)hydrazine dichloride, C₁₄H₂₄N₄²⁺·2Cl^? ( 3 ), are reported. In the crystal structure of 1 , the quinuclidine‐substituted hydrazine and water molecules are linked through N—H…O and O—H…N hydrogen bonds, forming a two‐dimensional array. The compound crystallizes in the centrosymmetric space group P2₁/c. Compound 2 was refined in the space group Pccn and exhibits no hydrogen bonding. However, its hydrochloride form 3 crystallizes in the noncentrosymmetric space group Pc. It shows a three‐dimensional network structure via intermolecular hydrogen bonding (N—H…C and N/C—H…Cl). Compound 3 , with its acentric structure, shows strong second harmonic activity.     

Design and Synthesis of Urea‐Linked Aromatic Oligomers—A Route Towards Convoluted Foldamers

Herein we report the design and synthesis of crescent‐shaped and helical urea‐based foldamers, the curvature of which is controlled by varying the constituent building blocks and their connectivity. These oligomers are comprised of two, three or five alternating aromatic heterocycles (pyridazine, pyrimidine or pyrazine) and methyl‐substituted aromatic carbocycles (tolyl, o‐xylyl or m‐xylyl) connected together through urea linkages. A crescent‐shaped conformational preference is encoded within these π‐conjugated urea‐linked oligomers based on intramolecular hydrogen bonding and steric interactions; the degree of curvature is tuned by the urea connectivity to the heterocycles and the aryl groups. NMR characterization of these foldamers confirms the intramolecular hydrogen‐bonded conformation expected (Z,E configuration of the urea bond) in both the pyridazyl and pyrimidyl foldamers in solution. An X‐ray crystal structure of the N³,N⁶‐diisobutylpyridazine‐4,6‐diamine–o‐tolyl urea‐linked foldamer ( 4 ) confirms the presence of N? H???N hydrogen bonds between the heterocyclic nitrogen atom and the free hydrogen of the urea linkage. Additionally, the tolyl methyl group interacts unfavourably with the urea carbonyl oxygen, thus destabilising the alternate planar conformation.     

Density functional complete study of hydrogen bonding between the water molecule and the hydroxyl radical (H2O · HO)

The hydrogen bonding complexes formed between the H₂O and OH radical have been completely investigated for the first time in this study using density functional theory (DFT). A larger basis set 6‐311++G(2d,2p) has been employed in conjunction with a hybrid density functional method, namely, UB3LYP/6‐311++G(2d,2p). The two degenerate components of the OH radical ²Π ground electronic state give rise to independent states upon interaction with the water molecule, with hydrogen bonding occurring between the oxygen atom of H₂O and the hydrogen atom of the OH radical. Another hydrogen bond occurs between one of the H atoms of H₂O and the O atom of the OH radical. The extensive calculation reveals that there is still more hydrogen bonding form found first in this investigation, in which two or three hydrogen bonds occur at the same time. The optimized geometry parameter and interaction energy for various isomers at the present level of theory was estimated. The infrared (IR) spectrum frequencies, IR intensities, and vibrational frequency shifts are reported. The estimates of the H₂O · OH complex's vibrational modes and predicted IR spectra for these structures are also made. It should be noted that a total of 10 stationary points have been confirmed to be genuine minima and transition states on the potential energy hypersurface of the H₂O · HO system. Among them, four genuine minima were located. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2002     

Effect of the position of a methoxy substituent on the antimicrobial activity and crystal structures of 4‐methyl‐1,6‐diphenylpyrimidine‐2(1H)‐selenone derivatives

Derivatives of pyrimidine‐2(1H)‐selenone are a group of compounds with very strong antimicrobial activity. In order to study the effect of the position of the methoxy substituent on biological activity, molecular geometry and intermolecular interactions in the crystal, three derivatives were prepared and evaluated with respect to their antimicrobial activities, and their crystal structures were determined by X‐ray diffraction. The investigated compounds, namely, 1‐(X‐methoxyphenyl)‐4‐methyl‐6‐phenylpyrimidine‐2(1H)‐selenones (X = 2, 3 and 4 for 1 , 2 and 3 , respectively), C₁₈H₁₆N₂OSe, showed very strong activity against selected strains of Gram‐positive bacteria and fungi. Two compounds, 1 and 2 , crystallize in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c, while 3 crystallizes in the space group P2₁/n; 1 has two molecules in the asymmetric unit and the other two ( 2 and 3 ) have one molecule. The geometries of the investigated compounds differ slightly in the mutual orientations of the aromatic and pyrimidineselenone rings. The O atom in 1 stabilizes the conformation of the molecules via intramolecular C—H…O hydrogen bonding. The packing of molecules is determined by weak C—H…N and C—H…Se intermolecular interactions and additionally in 1 and 2 by C—H…O intermolecular interactions. The introduction of the methoxy substituent results in greater selectivity of the investigated compounds.     

Evidence for a Bulky Unit of a Pillar[5]arene Flipping in the Solid State

It is well known that pillar[5]arenes have two most stable conformations (pS and pR) in their crystal structures. Because of the intramolecular H‐bonding interactions, substituents, temperature, solvent and so on, the rotational behaviors of the phenolic units on pillararenes are also common. This paper showed some other kinds of conformations in the functionalized pillar[5]arenes and gave evidence for a bulky unit (1,4‐methoxycarbonylmethoxybenzene unit) flipping in the solid state. The presence of hydrogen bonding facilitated the intermolecular self‐assembly in terms of energy‐minimized packing in the crystals. Thus, the main driving force for the flipping of this bulky unit might be both the intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the phenolic units on pillararenes and quadrupolar hydrogen bonding between the host and water. This paper helps us to have a better understanding on the conformations of pillar[5]arenes.     

A comparative study of two polymorphs of L‐aspartic acid hydrochloride

Two polymorphs of L‐aspartic acid hydrochloride, C₄H₈NO₄⁺·Cl⁻, were obtained from the same aqueous solution. Their crystal structures have been determined from single‐crystal data collected at 100 K. The crystal structures revealed three‐ and two‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonding networks for the triclinic and orthorhombic polymorphs, respectively. The cations and anions are connected to one another via N—H...Cl and O—H...Cl interactions and form alternating cation–anion layer‐like structures. The two polymorphs share common structural features; however, the conformations of the L‐aspartate cations and the crystal packings are different. Furthermore, the molecular packing of the orthorhombic polymorph contains more interesting interactions which seems to be a favourable factor for more efficient charge transfer within the crystal.     

Investigation of Steric Influences on Hydrogen‐Bonding Motifs in Cyclic Ureas by Using X‐Ray,Neutron, and Computational Methods

A series of urea‐derived heterocycles, 5N‐substituted hexahydro‐1,3,5‐triazin‐2‐ones, has been prepared and their structures have been determined for the first time. This family of compounds only differ in their substituent at the 5‐position (which is derived from the corresponding primary amine), that is, methyl ( 1 ), ethyl ( 2 ), isopropyl ( 3 ), tert‐butyl ( 4 ), benzyl ( 5 ), N,N‐(diethyl)ethylamine ( 6 ), and 2‐hydroxyethyl ( 7 ). The common heterocyclic core of these molecules is a cyclic urea, which has the potential to form a hydrogen‐bonding tape motif that consists of self‐associative (8) dimers. The results from X‐ray crystallography and, where possible, Laue neutron crystallography show that the hydrogen‐bonding motifs that are observed and the planarity of the hydrogen bonds appear to depend on the steric hindrance at the α‐carbon atom of the N substituent. With the less‐hindered substituents, methyl and ethyl, the anticipated tape motif is observed. When additional methyl groups are added onto the α‐carbon atom, as in the isopropyl and tert‐butyl derivatives, a different 2D hydrogen‐bonding motif is observed. Despite the bulkiness of the substituents, the benzyl and N,N‐(diethyl)ethylamine derivatives have methylene units at the α‐carbon atom and, therefore, display the tape motif. The introduction of a competing hydrogen‐bond donor/acceptor in the 2‐hydroxyethyl derivative disrupts the tape motif, with a hydroxy group interrupting the N? H???O?C interactions. The geometry around the hydrogen‐bearing nitrogen atoms, whether planar or non‐planar, has been confirmed for compounds 2 and 5 by using Laue neutron diffraction and rationalized by using computational methods, thus demonstrating that distortion of O‐C‐N‐H torsion angles occurs to maintain almost‐linear hydrogen‐bonding interactions.     

7‐Methoxy‐1H‐indazole,a new inhibitor of neuronal nitric oxide synthase

The crystal structure of 7‐methoxy‐1H‐indazole, C₈H₈N₂O, an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, shows that the methoxy group lies in the plane of the indazole system with its methyl group located trans to the indazole N—H group. The crystal packing consists principally of hydrogen‐bonded trimers. Intermolecular hydrogen‐bonding interactions are formed between the indazole N atoms, with the N—H group as a hydrogen‐bond donor and the remaining N atom as an acceptor.     

Two terphenyl‐based diol hosts and corresponding solvent inclusions with dimethylformamide and acetonitrile

Having reference to an elongated structural modification of 2,2′‐bis(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)biphenyl, (I), the two 1,1′:4′,1′′‐terphenyl‐based diol hosts 2,2′′‐bis(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)‐1,1′:4′,1′′‐terphenyl, C₄₄H₃₄O₂, (II), and 2,2′′‐bis[hydroxybis(4‐methylphenyl)methyl]‐1,1′:4′,1′′‐terphenyl, C₄₈H₄₂O₂, (III), have been synthesized and studied with regard to their crystal structures involving different inclusions, i.e. (II) with dimethylformamide (DMF), C₄₄H₃₄O₂·C₂H₆NO, denoted (IIa), (III) with DMF, C₄₈H₄₂O₂·C₂H₆NO, denoted (IIIa), and (III) with acetonitrile, C₄₈H₄₂O₂·CH₃CN, denoted (IIIb). In the solvent‐free crystals of (II) and (III), the hydroxy H atoms are involved in intramolecular O—H...π hydrogen bonding, with the central arene ring of the terphenyl unit acting as an acceptor. The corresponding crystal structures are stabilized by intermolecular C—H...π contacts. Due to the distinctive acceptor character of the included DMF solvent species in the crystal structures of (IIa) and (IIIa), the guest molecule is coordinated to the host via O—H...O=C hydrogen bonding. In both crystal structures, infinite strands composed of alternating host and guest molecules represent the basic supramolecular aggregates. Within a given strand, the O atom of the solvent molecule acts as a bifurcated acceptor. Similar to the solvent‐free cases, the hydroxy H atoms in inclusion structure (IIIb) are involved in intramolecular hydrogen bonding, and there is thus a lack of host–guest interaction. As a result, the solvent molecules are accommodated as C—H...N hydrogen‐bonded inversion‐symmetric dimers in the channel‐like voids of the host lattice.