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.