Stereodynamics of N-isopropyl-N-methylpropargylamine. Dynamic NMR studies. Molecular mechanics calculations.

Abstract

N-Isopropyl-N-methylpropargylamine (N-isopropyl-N-methyl-2-propyn-1-amine; IMPA) is chiral at the pyramidal nitrogen. Racemization occurs via an inversion-rotation process. Both 13C(1H) and 1H dynamic NMR (DNMR) spectra decoalesce in response to slowing inversion-rotation (delta G++ = 7.7 +/- 0.1 kcal/mol). While aspects of the DNMR spectra suggest the presence of minor conformations, the spectrum at 100 K shows a strong preference for one conformation. The NMR data suggest that the preferred conformation has both the isopropyl methine proton and the ethynyl group anti to the lone pair. Both isopropyl methyl groups are gauche to the lone pair. This conformational preference is in significant contrast to N-ethyl-N-methyl-2-aminopropane in which the population of that conformation having the ethyl methyl group and the isopropyl methine proton both anti to the lone pair is only 5% at 95 K. The NMR data, supported by molecular mechanics (MMX) calculations, suggest a special stabilization for the ethynyl group being oriented anti to the lone pair.