Chemistry of naphthazarin derivatives 13. Conformational analysis of 3-(alk-1-enyl)-2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinones by quantum chemistry methods

Abstract

The molecular structures of various conformers of 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone; 3-(alk-1-enyl)-2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinones; 2,5,8-trihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone; and 3-(alk-1-enyl)-2,5,8-trihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinones were studied by density functional theory (B3LYP/6-31(d), B3LYP/6-31(d, p)) and ab initio (MP2/6-31G, MP2/6-31(d)) methods. The strengths of the intramolecular hydrogen bonds formed by the β-hydroxy group with the O atom at C(1) and with the double bond π-electrons of the alkenyl substituents in the quinonoid rings were estimated. The compounds studied mainly exist as rotamers with the former-type hydrogen bonds. The splitting of the quinonoid bands of the stretching vibrations of the β-hydroxy group in the IR spectra of 3-(alk-1-enyl)-2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinones and 3-(alk-1-enyl)-2,5,8-trihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinones in hexane solutions is due to the existence of rotamers formed upon internal rotation of the alkenyl substituent.