Synthesis, Spectroscopic Studies and Crystal Structure of 1,2-bis (4-nitro benzoyloxy) ethane

Abstract

The dinitro compound, 1,2-bis (4-nitro benzoyloxy) ethane, was synthesized by nucleophilic substitution reaction under inert atmosphere using Schotten–Baumann conditions and characterized by its melting point, elemental analysis, FT-IR, 1H and 13C-NMR spectroscopic studies. The structure of the title compound was also determined by single crystal X-ray crystallography. The compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Aba2 with cell parameters a = 33.119(2) A, b = 8.1301(5) A, c = 11.9784(8) A, V = 3225.3(4) A3 and Z = 8. The central O–CH2–CH2–O unit present in the compound shows a partially eclipsed conformation. The dihedral angle between the two aromatic rings is 45.87 (6)o. The terminal nitro groups and the bridging ester groups present in the compound are almost coplanar with the aromatic rings to which they are attached. A dinitro-diester precursor (1,2-bis (4-nitro benzoyloxy) ethane) for processable high performance polymers was synthesized and subsequently characterized by spectroscopic studies and single crystal X-ray crystallography.