Hydrate Stabilization in the Three-Dimensional Hydrogen-Bonded Structure of the Brucinium Compound, Bis(2,3-dimethoxy-10-oxostrychnidinium) Biphenyl-4,4′-disulfonate Hexahydrate

Abstract

The crystal structure of the 2:1 proton-transfer compound of brucine with biphenyl-4,4 ′ -disulfonate, bis(2,3-dimethoxy-10-oxostrychnidinium) biphenyl-4,4 ′ -disulfonate hexahydrate (1) has been determined at 173 K. Crystals are monoclinic, space group P21 with Z = 2 in a cell with a = 8.0314(2), b = 29.3062(9), c = 12.2625(3) Å, β = 101.331(2)°. The crystallographic asymmetric unit comprises two brucinium cations, a biphenyl-4,4 ′ -disulfonate dianion and six water molecules of solvation. The brucinium cations form a variant of the common undulating and overlapping head-to-tail sheet sub-structure. The sulfonate dianions are also linked head-to-tail by hydrogen bonds into parallel zig-zag chains through clusters of six water molecules of which five are inter-associated, featuring conjoint cyclic eight-membered hydrogen-bonded rings [graph sets R 3 3 (8) and R 4 3 (8)], comprising four of the water molecules and closed by sulfonate O acceptors. These chain structures occupy the cavities between the brucinium cation sheets and are linked to them peripherally through both brucine N+–H···Osulfonate and Ocarbonyl···H–Owater to sulfonate O bridging hydrogen bonds, forming an overall three-dimensional framework structure. This structure determination confirms the importance of water in the stabilization of certain brucine compounds which have inherent crystal instability. The crystal structure determination of the 2:1 proton-transfer brucinium compound, bis(2,3-dimethoxy-10-oxostrychnidinium) biphenyl-4,4′-disulfonate hexahydrate shows the presence of two independent brucinium cations which form into semi-associated sheet substructures. The disulfonate dianions and the associated water molecules of solvation occupy the interstitial cavities between the brucinium substructures with which they are hydrogen-bonded, giving a three-dimensional framework structure.