SPECTROSCOPIC INVESTIGATION OF DIHYDRONICOTINAMIDES-I: CONFORMATION, ABSORPTION, AND FLUORESCENCE

Abstract— The 1(N)-(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)-1,4-dihydronicotinamide (I), N-methyl- and N,N-dimethyl-1(N)-(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)-1,4-dihydronicotinamide (II and III), respectively), and 1(N)-(2,6-dichloro-benzyl)-2-aminomethyl-1,4-dihydronicotinic acid lactame (IV) were synthesized as model compounds for natural coenzymes, and systematically studied by 1H NMR, UV/V1S absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. The absorption at ∼ 340 nm argues for an effective conjugation between dihydropyridine and carboxamide π-system, and rules out any severely twisted conformation. For the natural coenzymes NADH and NMNH, as well as for I and II (with no or only one N-amide substituent), 1H NMR definitively establishes a transoid conformation in solution, with the carbonyl O close to 2-H of the dihydropyridine ring. N,N-dimethyl substitution effectively inverts the carboxamide orientation into the cisoid form. The 1H NMR data (as well as molar extinctions) for the fused-ring derivatives IV and V, with a fixed cisoid and transoid structure, respectively, provide final proof for the conformational assignment.
Absorption maxima are shifted to lower energies with increasing solvent polarity. In solvents which can act as hydrogen bond acceptors to the carboxamide N-H, absorption shows a general blue-shift of ∼ 10 nm. H-bond donor solvents do not affect absorption maxima but enhance molar extinction. Fluorescence maxima show a similar dependence on solvent polarity but no specific hydrogen-bonding effect. Fluorescence quantum yields appear increased tenfold in solvents donating H-bonds to the carboxamide C=O group. These results are interpreted in terms of the vinylogous amide resonance between C=O function and ring-N lone pair being the electronic interaction dominating in the ground state of dihydronicotinamides.