Effect of molecular motion and solvent interactions on nitrogen-15 relaxation in anilines

Dipolar relaxation of ¹⁵N in anilines and anilinium ions is influenced by overall motion of the molecule, by rotation about the aryl–-nitrogen bond, by inversion of the aniline nitrogen and by interactions of the NH₂ or NH₃⁺ group with the solvent. These factors are assessed by comparison of the ¹³C and ¹⁵N dipolar relaxation times as a function of para-substitution on the aryl ring. In the anilines (solvent CDCl₃), electron withdrawal brings about faster relative motion of the amine side-chain, contrary to expectation from consideration of C? N rotation but in agreement with the effects from nitrogen inversion. The ¹⁵N dipolar relaxation time correlates with the Hammett σ_p. For the anilinium ions (solvent Me₂SO-d₆), there is no correlation with σ_p and no qualitative relationship with either C? N rotation or N inversion. Nitrogen-15 relaxation, corrected for overall motion as judged by ring ¹³C relaxation, correlates with the inductive parameter σ_I. Electron withdrawal through induction reduces hydrogen bonding and increases side-chain mobility. For most of the anilines and for all of the anilinium ions, solvent interactions cause the nitrogen side-chain to be less mobile than the aryl ring. Under these circumstances, the Woessner approach cannot be used to calculate barriers. The hydrogen bond donor properties of the anilines are reduced in the absence of electron-donating substituents, and the first barriers to NH₂ rotation/inversion were calculated by this procedure: aniline in CDCl₃ 3.5 kcal/mol, p-chloroaniline in CDCl₃ 3.4 kcal/mol and p-nitroaniline in acetone 3.8 kcal/mol.