1 4N nuclear quadrupole resonance and a b i n i t i o MO study of organic azides

Abstract

An ab inito SCF-MO calculation of the electric field gradient (EFG) using a double zeta basis set with polarization is reported for N−3, HN3 NCN3, and H3CN3. A similar calculation using a Dunning set with polarization is also reported for N−3, HN3, and H3CN3. Excellent correlation was found between the calculated and the components obtained from gas phase microwave data. The calculation showed that the terminal N atom had a positive nuclear quadrupole coupling constant and its pincipal z axis was found to be perpendicular to the NNN direction in substituted azides. The changes in the charge distribution of HN3 and NCN3 obtained from the analysis of the atomic multipoles was shown to be in general agreement with the variations found in the N EFG components calculated for these azides. The 14N nuclear quadrupole resonance frequencies of the terminal and the first N atom of the azide group have been measured at 77 K for phenyl, benzyl, triphenylmethane, and tosyl azide. An analysis based on the Townes and Dailey approach of the measured NQR data showed that the terminal N atom have lost more σ than π orbital population. A similar analysis for the first N atom of azides showed strong inductive and resonance interactions with the substituents.