Equilibrium geometry and electronic structure of benzylidene,arylethylidene, and heterocyclic arylidene malononitriles

The equilibrium geometry of some benzylidene, arylethylidene, and heterocyclic arylidene malononitriles has been calculated within the framework of the MNDO –MO formalism. Various structural factors are analyzed and discussed in terms of localized and delocalized MOS and π-interaction between methylene malononitrile (MMN) and aryl moieties. The possibility of charge transfer (CT ) from aryl to MMN moieties has been examined. The presence of a heterocyclic ring introduces a small perturbation into the MMN nuclear frame. p-Substituents have a pronounced effect on the magnitude and direction of the dipole moment. The variation of ionization potentials and bond order with the Hammet σ p are examined and a straight-line relationship is obtained. The correlation between physiological activity and quantum mechanical properties is analyzed in terms of heat of formation, ionization potential, dipole moment, and charge density on the aryl ring. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.