X-ray crystal structure of bis(4-nitropyrazol-1-yl)methane, and some empirical rules concerning the bond angles in pyrazoles

Abstract

The crystal structure of bis(4-nitropyrazol-1-yl)methane has been determined by X-ray diffraction. The nitro groups form angles of 16.45(6) and 11.83(7)°, respectively, with the pyrazole ring to which they are attached. The internal and external angles of the pyrazole rings follow a set of empirical rules: (1) N(1)-N(2)-C(3) is smaller than N(2)-N(1)-C(5); (2) N(2)-C(3)-C(4) is larger than N(1)-N(2)-C(3) and at least one chosen between C(3)-C(4)-C(5) and C(4)-C(5)-N(1); (3) C3-C4-C5 is not the largest internal angle; (4) R1-N1-N2 is smaller than R1-N1-C5; (5) N2-C3-R3 is smaller than R3-C3-C4, or R5-C5-N1 is smaller than C4-C5-R5; (6) C3-C4-R4 and R4-C4-C5 are nearly the same. Provided that the angle considered is not part of another ring, the first five rules are valid for all the pyrazoles investigated up to now, while violation of the last rule is good evidence for steric hindrance or marked asymmetry of the 3- and 5-substituents.