Hydrogen bonding in systems containing imidazoline nitroxide radicals

Abstract

Hydrogen bonding between imidazoline nitroxide free radicals and hydrogen donors of varying strength [acetone, chloroform, trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)] has been examined using magnetic resonance techniques. Low-field dynamic nuclear polarization and spin–lattice relaxation measurements have been used to determine absolute scalar and dipolar coupling strengths. Dipolar coupling was found to increase in the order acetone <CHCl3<TFA, while only TFA systems showed substantial scalar coupling. For acetone, observed dipolar relaxation rates are consistent with translational modulation and little, if any, complexation. With CHCl3, both translational and rotational modulation are required; the data suggest that CHCl3 forms weak hydrogen bonds with the radical chromophore with little spin density transferred to the bridge proton. In contrast, the protons of TFA show strong scalar coupling with the various radicals which results in positive proton NMR enhancements or strong hyperfine coupling (AH?5 G). The 1H scalar relaxation rates are consistent with strong hydrogen bond formation at the imine site and complex lifetimes of ∼10−9–10−8 sec. The 19F nuclei of TFA show much weaker, radical-independent scalar coupling and little rotational dipolar modulation consistent with, at best, weak, nonstereospecific complex formation.