Steric conditions and polarizability of structurally symmetrical interamoleculer hydrogen bonds in R-DI(α-pyridyl) hydroperchlorates

Seven R-di-(α-pyridyl) hydroperchlorates (R = (1) CH₂, (2) NH, (3) CO, (4) (CH₂)₂, (5) (CH₂)₃, (6) (CH₂)₄ and (7) S-S) were prepared and studied in acetonitrile-d₃ solutions by NMR and IR spectroscopy. With the hydroperchlorates of compounds 1 and 4, an equilibrium between non-hydrogen-bonded NH⁺ groups and intramolecular-bonded NH⁺ groups is present. With compounds 2, 3 and 5–7, the intramolecular hydrogen bonds are formed quantitatively. In compounds 4–7, the potential wells in these intramolecular structurally symmetrical N⁺H· N ? N · H⁺N bonds, are double minima. These hydrogen bonds are easily polarizable. With compounds 1–3, the distance between the N atoms given by the steric conditions of the molecules is smaller than with usual linear hydrogen bonds. Therefore, strong bent intramolecular structurally symmetrical hydrogen bonds are found, with relatively narrow single-minimum potential wells. These bonds cause a band in the region 3000–2500 cm^?1 instead of the continuum. Thus they are not easily polarizable.