Structural and vibrational characterization of the mono and dilithiated species derived from phenylacetonitrile in THF by infrared and Raman spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations

The structures and spectra of mono and dianionic species derived from PhCH2CN under the action of an organic base LHMDS or n-BuLi in THF solution have been investigated by vibrational spectroscopy and DFT calculations. The assignments previously proposed for the monoanion, the bridged, linear and dimeric monoanionic ion pairs compare well with the calculated ones. The addition of HMPA to a THF solution of PhCHCNLi leads to the formation of an HMPA solvated linear ion pair, distinguishable from the bridged ion pair by the wave number of the 8a v(CC) phenyl ring mode. The calculated structure of the phenylacetonitrile anion in the (PhCHCNLi, CH3Li) mixed dimer or 'Quadac' is very similar to that in the linear ion pair or in the dimer and to that observed by X-ray in (PhCHCNLi, CH(CH9)2]2NLi) 'Quadac'. The structure of the anion is planar, indicating a charge delocalization from the benzene ring to the -CHCN group. The calculated spectra of the free, mono and dilithiated dianionic species compare well with the experimental ones of the species formed under addition of more than one equivalent of n-BuLi. The structure of the >C-C-CN2- group is very close to that of an imine. The v(CN) bands of the free, mono and dilithiated dianionic species are located at 1912, 1930 and 1890 cm(-1), respectively. The large wave number shift observed between the free monoanion and dianion (approximately 176 cm(-1)), in good accordance with the calculated one (170 cm(-1)) allows differentiating mono and dianionic species. The shifts observed for the 8a and 19a v(CC) phenyl ring modes, although much smaller, also allows discriminating the different species. These small shifts indicate a small variation of the electronic delocalization in the benzene ring in agreement with the calculations.