15N-NMR study of activated enamines. Structural dependence of δ (15N) and nJ(N,H) in primary,secondary and tertiary enamino-ketones,esters and amides

The pulse sequence INEPT was used to obtain proton-coupled ¹⁵N-NMR spectra in natural isotope abundance for enamines substituted in 2-position with electron-with-drawing groups. The chemical shifts and coupling constants are discussed in terms of their relationship to structural features such as multiple N-alkyl substitution, double-bond configuration, H-bonding, N-lone-pair delocalization within the conjugated system, and steric effects. It is concluded that ¹⁵N chemical shifts are a sensitive probe for local structural modifications at the N-atom and conformational changes in a remote part of a conjugated molecule, while one-bond N,H-coupling essentially reflects N-hybridization and subtle local geometric distortions. Stereospecific three-bond N,H spin coupling to olefinic protons (4.0 ± 0.2 Hz) has been found a characteristic feature of (Z)-isomers in all investigated compounds, whereas two-bond coupling to olefinic protons (²J(N,H) = 0.5 to 5 Hz) is observed in (E)-isomers. The sensitivity to solvents and steric properties of remote substituents renders geminal coupling a useful probe for studying electronic effects in the C? N bond.