1,2-Bis(1-aryl-3-alkyltriazen-3-yl)ethanes and related compounds

Abstract

A series of novel bistriazenes, the 1,2-bis(1-aryl-3-methyltriazen-3-yl)ethanes, Ar-N T N-NMe-CH2CH2-NMe-N T N-Ar, have been synthesized by diazonium coupling with N,N'-dimethylethylenediamine. These bistriazenes are stable crystalline compounds and have been unequivocally characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopy (1H and 13C), and elemental analysis. The structures of two compounds in the series have been confirmed by X-ray crystallography. The 1H NMR spectra show significant line broadening of the N-methyl resonances arising from the restricted rotation around the N2-N3 bond of the triazene units. The presence of strongly electron-withdrawing groups on the aryl ring restricts the rotation to the point where the N-methyl signals of the rotamers are distinct even at room temperature; four resonances of the N-methyl signal are clearly evident and these can be assigned to the anti-anti, syn-syn, and syn-anti conformations of the bistriazene. Diazonium coupling with N,N'-diethylethylenediamine affords the N,N'-diethyl homologues of the bistriazenes, which have been similarly characterized. As model compounds to assist in spectroscopic analysis, a series of related triazenes, the 1-(1-aryl-3-methyltriazen-3-yl)-N,N-dimethyl-2-ethanamines, were prepared by diazonium coupling with N,N,N'-trimethylethylenediamine. These dialkyltriazenes exist mainly as oils, but characterization was achieved by IR, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR spectroscopy, also showing the presence of two rotamers in solution when strongly electron-withdrawing substituents are bonded to the aryl moiety.Key words: triazene, bistriazene, diazonium, ethylenediamine, molecular dynamics, NMR.