Nitrogen Lone Pair Research Articles

On the NH stretch ν1 band of methyleneimine CH2NH.

Over four decades, the 3262.622(2) cm-1 band [Halonen and Duxbury, Chem. Phys. Lett. 118, 246-251 (1985)] of H2C=NH (methyleneimine or methanimine) has been cited as the ν1 NH stretch fundamental. In this article, the assignment is comprehensively reviewed for the first time, concluding that the band should instead be assigned to the CN stretching overtone 2ν4. The analysis of vibrational wavenumbers and transition dipole moments is guided by large basis set coupled-cluster anharmonic frequency calculations. A comparison with the vibrations of its perfluorinated analog (difluoromethanimine, F2C=NH) exemplifies that fc-CCSD(T)/ANO2 VPT2, as expected, is able to provide very accurate vibrational band centers for these semi-rigid molecules. As a by-product of the analysis, a significant reorientation of the ν1 transition dipole moment of methyleneimine by more than 100° away from the NH bond toward the nitrogen lone pair is found. MP2 fails to capture this effect, possibly due to a mild multireference character as suggested by a comparison with CCD, CCSD, and CCSD(T).

Removal of Pb(II), Cr(III), Co(II), Cu(II) cations from aqueous solutions using tetraethylenepentamine-functionalized HY cubic zeolite: optimization, characterization, and mechanistic insights.

This research utilized tetraethylenepentamine-functionalized HY cubic zeolite as an adsorbent to effectively remove heavy metals from aqueous solutions. The adsorbent was characterized using FT-IR, XRD, TGA, FE-SEM, and EDS-MAP techniques. The synthesis aimed to optimize and evaluate the removal efficiency of Pb(II), Cr(III), Co(II), and Cu(II) from aqueous solutions by investigating key parameters, including initial pH, concentration, adsorbent dosage, and contact time. The results indicate that the highest adsorption capacities for each metal follow the order: Pb(II) > Cr(III) > Co(II) > Cu(II), with respective percentages of 99.7%, 98.2%, 95.1%, and 92.4%. Analysis of the batch systems reveals that the equilibrium data for Pb(II), Cr(III), Co(II), and Cu(II) align well with the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms also show a good fit, with correlation coefficients (R2) higher than 0.9335 and 0.9478, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacities (181.82, 175.44, 169.49, and 158.73mg/g) reflect the nature of the adsorption process. Kinetic studies for Pb(II), Cr(III), Cu(II), and Cu(II) yielded correlation coefficients (R2) higher than 0.9971. These high R2 values suggest that the experimental data closely fit a pseudo-second-order model, indicating a two-step adsorption mechanism. Heavy metal removal is attributed to ion exchange and chemisorption within the zeolite pores, involving interactions with nitrogen lone pairs.

Potential of homogeneous persulfate activation as a strategy for the oxidative treatment of tetramethylammonium hydroxide: Superiority of sulfate radical over hydroxyl radical in the oxidation of methylammoniums

Tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) as the etching and chelating agent exhibits the extreme recalcitrance to advanced oxidation processes utilizing hydroxyl radical (OH). This study showed that based on the relative position of PDS/heat and PDS/UV against H2O2/UV in terms of TMAH degradation efficiency, sulfate radical (SO4−) was superior to OH in oxidizing TMAH. PDS/heat (at 60 °C) and PDS/UV at the initial pH = 7 achieved TMAH degradation efficiency of ∼ 80–90 % within 1 h whereas H2O2/UV barely eliminated TMAH, which contrasted with H2O2/UV decomposing phenol faster than the activated PDS. The high susceptibility of TMAH (in which four methyl groups bonded to nitrogen removed the lone pair of electrons) to oxidation by SO4− aligned with the pH–dependent efficiency of PDS/heat for the treatment of methylamines. PDS/heat effectively degraded methylammoniums (lacking nitrogen lone pair available for electron transfer due to amine protonation) under non–alkaline conditions, whereas acidification caused the efficiency loss of ∼ 90 % for H2O2/UV. Methylammoniums as radical scavengers retarded benzoic acid degradation by PDS/heat to a more pronounced extent than counterparts with deuterated N–methyl groups, which implied that hydrogen–atom abstraction primarily contributed to the SO4−–induced oxidation of methylammoniums. Estimation of the bimolecular reaction rate constants using laser flash photolysis and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic detection of TMAH–derived carbon–centered radical supported the superiority of SO4− over OH in TMAH oxidation. These findings suggested the potential of homogeneous persulfate activation in the pH-insensitive oxidative treatment of alkylamines and quaternary ammonium cations structurally analogous to TMAH.

Emergence of a distinct mechanism of C-N bond formation in photoenzymes.

C-N bond formation is integral to modern chemical synthesis due to the ubiquity of nitrogen heterocycles in small-molecule pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Alkene hydroamination with unactivated alkenes is an atom economical strategy for constructing these bonds. However, these reactions are challenging to render asymmetric when preparing fully substituted carbon stereocenters. Here, we report a photoenzymatic alkene hydroamination to prepare 2,2-disubstituted pyrrolidines by a Baeyer-Villiger Monooxygenase. Five rounds of protein engineering afforded a mutant, providing excellent product yield and stereoselectivity. Unlike related photochemical hydroaminations, which rely on the oxidation of the amine or alkene for C-N bond formation, this work exploits a through-space interaction of a reductively generated benzylic radical and the nitrogen lone pair. This antibonding interaction lowers the oxidation potential of the radical, enabling electron transfer to the flavin cofactor. Experiments indicate that the enzyme microenvironment is essential in enabling a novel C-N bond formation mechanism with no parallel in small molecule catalysis. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate the substrate in the enzyme active site which further support this hypothesis. This work is a rare example of an emerging mechanism in non-natural biocatalysis, where an enzyme has access to a mechanism that its individual components do not. Our study showcases the potential of enhancing emergent mechanisms using protein engineering to provide unique mechanistic solutions to unanswered challenges in chemical synthesis.

A DFT Mechanistic Study on the Aza-Aldol Reaction of Boron Aza-Enolates: Relative Stability of Six-Membered Transition State and Its Relevance to the Coordination Mode of the Leaving Group.

The mechanism of the aza-aldol reaction between boron aza-enolate and benzaldehyde is investigated by using density functional theory calculations. The result shows that the syn-E isomer is preferentially formed, consistent with experimental observations. The six-membered ring transition state (TS) with the boat form leads to the E isomer, while the more unstable chair TS does to the Z isomer. The preference of the syn isomer is determined by the interactions between the substituents of aza-enolate and benzaldehyde. Structural distortion and intrinsic reaction coordinate analyses of simplified model systems provide insights into the origin of the relative stability of the rate-determining TS with boat and chair forms. The boat TS is an early TS; thus, minimal structural distortions of the reactant are required to reach this TS. The Lewis pair interactions between the boron and imine groups during B-N elimination also influenced the relative stability of the TSs. This interaction involves the nitrogen lone pair in the boat TS, while the π(N═C) orbital is involved in the chair TS. The Lewis pair with the lone pair stabilizes the TS more than that with the π orbital. The boron aza-enolate with 9-BBN generates an ate complex and forms C-C bonds sequentially, whereas that with Bpin does not generate an ate complex and exhibits the concerted formation of B-O and C-C bonds. Thus, the higher electrophilicity of boron such as 9-BBN enhances the reactivity by facilitating the formation of the ate complex. A reaction design is proposed to reverse the syn/anti selectivity. Proof-of-concept DFT calculations suggested that the modification of the imine group would change the relative stability of the boat/chair TSs and give the anti-product.

Vibrational Features of Oxyamines: A Comparative Study of N,N-Diethylhydroxylamine and N,N-Diethylacetyloxyamine.

The ability of oxyamines to undergo homolytic cleavage of the O-C bond, leading to the formation of stable radicals, is widely used in polymerization processes and to prevent oxidative stress in materials. We present a mid and near-infrared spectroscopy study on two model compounds, N,N-diethylhydroxyloxyamine (C4H11NO) and its acetyl derivative N,N-diethylacetyloxyamine (C6H13NO2) in the liquid phase. The analysis of the spectra is based on a complete exploration of the conformational space, coupled to harmonic and anharmonic calculations performed using the generalized second-order vibrational perturbation theory (GVPT2) formalism at the B3LYP-D3(BJ)/Def2-TZVP level of calculation and potential energy distribution analysis. In the most stable species out of 25, the three amine chains present an all-anti arrangement, with the carbonyl oxygen atom pointing towards the nitrogen lone pair. The simulated spectra are in overall good agreement with the experimental ones, and suitable for the assignment of the main observed bands. Furthermore, similarities and divergences between the two molecules are discussed.

Concerning the structures of Lewis base adducts of titanium(IV) hexafluoroisopropoxide.

The reaction of titanium(IV) chloride with sodium hexafluoroisopropoxide, carried out in hexafluoroisopropanol, produces titanium(IV) hexafluoroisopropoxide, which is a liquid at room temperature. Recrystallization from coordinating solvents, such as acetonitrile or tetrahydrofuran, results in the formation of bis-solvate complexes. These compounds are of interest as possible Ziegler-Natta polymerization catalysts. The acetonitrile complex had been structurally characterized previously and adopts a distorted octahedral structure in which the nitrile ligands adopt a cis configuration, with nitrogen lone pairs coordinated to the metal. The low-melting tetrahydrofuran complex has not provided crystals suitable for single-crystal X-ray analysis. However, the structure of chloridotris(hexafluoroisopropoxido-κO)bis(tetrahydrofuran-κO)titanium(IV), [Ti(C3HF6O)3Cl(C4H8O)2], has been obtained and adopts a distorted octahedral coordination geometry, with a facial arrangement of the alkoxide ligands and adjacent tetrahydrofuran ligands, coordinated by way of metal-oxygen polar coordinate interactions.

Formation of a Metallomacrocycle Possessing Nitrogen Donors Assembled in the Cavity and Unique Water Clusters.

2,2'-Bipyridyl (bpy) is widely used as a chelating unit for metal complexation but is not usually considered as a hydrogen-bonding unit. This is because the metal-free bpy units are usually in a transoid conformation, and the two nitrogen lone pairs are pointed to the opposite sides. We now report a metallomacrocycle whose three metal-free bpy units are in a cisoid conformation and are fixed in the cavity. The complexation of nickel(II) only at the salen units of the triangular bpytrisalen ligand produced this rigid and planar macrocycle. Its cavity is surrounded by hydrogen-bond acceptors (N of bpy and O of salen), and it was found that unique pentagonal prism clusters of water molecules templated by the cavity were formed in the crystal. This study has not only increased the variation of the synthetic methodologies of multinuclear complexes but has also provided the structural platform on which multiple bpy units exert hydrogen-bonding functions.

1D-Coordination Polymer of Copper(I) thiocyanate complex with metronidazole: Synthesis, crystal structure, Hirshfeld surface analysis, PXRD, Spectroscopic properties, MEP, QTAIM, π(CN)···tetrel interaction, RDG, and thermal analysis

Within 24 h of slow evaporation of the solution containing CuCl2·2H2O, metronidazole, and NH4SCN, a red-like crystalline Cu(I) complex titled [Cu(SCN)(mnz)]n (1), [where mnz = metronidazole; SCN = thiocyanate], was synthesized. The presence of SCN− during the synthesis induces reduction of the Cu(II) to Cu(I) giving rise to novel 1D coordination polymer. The compound was characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, powdered X-ray diffraction, spectroscopic proprieties, and Hirshfeld surface analysis. [Cu(SCN)(mnz)]n crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c. The complex possesses a 1D layer structure constructed by linking the staircase-like [CuSCN]n chains. Intermolecular interactions in the crystals investigation via Hirshfeld surface analysis reveals the major contribution is from O···H/H···O interaction (22.9 %), which is due to the presence of hydrogen bonds of the O − H···O type. The thermal properties were investigated using DTA-TGA and DSC. The study comprises the interpretation of non-covalent interactions through Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules (QTAIM), Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) analyses, and Reduced Density Gradient (RDG). The results show the role of interactions between SCN− and mnz through multiple connections involving the oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur lone pairs and π-bonds for constructing the unit cell. The non-covalent arrangements include very weak hydrogen bonds that cooperatively stabilize the crystal. Along with SCN− bridging copper atoms, growth in the ab plane is favored by an uncommon π···π interaction between SCN− and the imidazole ring of mnz. In this interaction, the π(SN) and π(CN) orbitals perturb the imidazole π(CN) orbital with energies of 0.36 and 0.22 kcal/mol, respectively. In the c direction, a hydrogen bond between the hydroxyl group and CH- fragment from different mnz molecules assists structure stabilization. It is accompanied by a rarely observed π(CN)···tetrel interaction, wherein SCN− donates π-electron density to the antibonding σ(CH) orbital of the methyl carbon.

Nonalternant Nanographenes Containing N-Centered Cyclopenta[ef]heptalene and Aza[7]Helicene Units.

Introducing helical subunits into negatively curved π-systems has a significant effect on both the molecular geometry and photophysical properties; however, the synthesis of these helical π-systems embedded with nonbenzenoid subunits remains challenging due to the high strain deriving from both the curvature and helix. Here, we report a family of nonalternant nanographenes containing a nitrogen (N)-doped cyclopenta[ef]heptalene unit. Among them, CPH-2 and CPH-3 can be viewed as hybrids of benzoannulated cyclopenta[ef]heptalene and aza[7]helicene. The crystal structures revealed a saddle geometry for CPH-1, a saddle-helix hybrid for CPH-2, and a twist-helix hybrid for CPH-3. Experimental measurements and theoretical calculations indicate that the saddle moieties in CPHs undergo flexible conformational changes at room temperature, while the aza[7]helicene subunit exhibits a dramatically increased racemization energy barrier (78.2 kcal mol-1 for CPH-2, 143.2 kcal mol-1 for CPH-3). The combination of the nitrogen lone electron pairs of the N-doped cyclopenta[ef]heptalene unit with the twisted helix fragments results in rich photophysics with distinctive fluorescence and phosphorescence in CPH-1 and CPH-2 and the similar energy fluorescence and phosphorescence in CPH-3. Both enantiopure CPH-2 and CPH-3 display distinct circular dichroism (CD) signals in the UV-vis range. Notably, compared to the reported fully π-extended helical nanographenes, CPH-3 exhibits excellent chiroptical properties with a |gabs| value of 1.0 × 10-2 and a |glum| value of 7.0 × 10-3; these values are among the highest for helical nanographenes.

Synthesis, crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of 2-[(4-hy-droxy-phen-yl)amino]-5,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazol-4(5H)-one.

In the title mol-ecule, C21H17N3O2, the five-membered ring is slightly ruffled and dihedral angles between the pendant six-membered rings and the central, five-membered ring vary between 50.78 (4) and 86.78 (10)°. The exocyclic nitro-gen lone pair is involved in conjugated π bonding to the five-membered ring. In the crystal, a layered structure is generated by O-H⋯N and N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds plus C-H⋯π(ring) and weak π-stacking inter-actions.

Rearrangement of Arylsulfamates and Sulfates to Para-Sulfonyl Anilines and Phenols.

The C(sp2)-aryl sulfonate functional group is found in bioactive molecules, but their synthesis can involve extreme temperatures (>190 °C or flash vacuum pyrolysis) and strongly acidic reaction conditions. Inspired by the 1917 Tyrer industrial process for a sulfa dye that involved an aniline N(sp2)-SO3 intermediate en route to a C(sp2)-SO3 rearranged product, we investigated tributylsulfoammonium betaine (TBSAB) as a milder N-sulfamation to C-sulfonate relay reagent. Initial investigations of a stepwise route involving TBSAB on selected anilines at room temperature enabled the isolation of N(sp2)-sulfamate. Subsequent thermal rearrangement demonstrated the intermediary of a sulfamate en route to the sulfonate; however, it was low-yielding. Investigation of the N-sulfamate to C--sulfonate mechanism through control experiments with variation at the heteroatom positions and kinetic isotope experiments (KIEH/D) confirmed the formation of a key N(sp2)-SO3 intermediate and further confirmed an intermolecular mechanism. Furthermore, compounds without an accessible nitrogen (or oxygen) lone pair did not undergo sulfamation- (or sulfation) -to-sulfonation under these conditions. A one-pot sulfamation and thermal sulfonation reaction was ultimately developed and explored on a range of aniline and heterocyclic scaffolds with high conversions, including N(sp2)-sulfamates (O(sp2)-sulfates) and C(sp2)-sulfonates, in up to 99 and 80% (and 88% for a phenolic example) isolated yield, respectively. Encouragingly, the ability to modulate the ortho-para selectivity of the products obtained was observed under thermal control. A sulfonated analog of the intravenous anesthetic propofol was isolated (88% yield), demonstrating a proof-of-concept modification of a licensed drug alongside a range of nitrogen- and sulfur-containing heterocyclic fragments used in drug discovery.

Computational investigation of thallium interactions with functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes for electrochemical sensing applications

Abstract Thallium (Tl) is a heavy toxic element which can cause several health issues. WHO and EPA have set a maximum permissible limit for thallium in drinking water above which it is hazardous, so its determination in our environment becomes crucial. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are preferred for use in thallium sensing due to their large surface area and high conductivity, which allow them to be readily functionalized to selective groups. Previous experimental results showed that Tl selectively interacted with the MWCNTs functionalized with 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole-5-thiol (T-MWCNTs) with a limit of detection of 1.29 μg L−1 and linear range 10–100 μg L−1 by using voltammetry under optimized conditions. In actual water samples, the electrochemical sensor fabricated with the above-mentioned functionalized MWCNTs nanocomposite demonstrated high reproducibility and recovery. Molecular recognition and the outcomes of chemical and biological processes are shaped by non-covalent interactions among molecules. It is essential to investigate how these interactions impact binding preferences to enhance our understanding of these events. Here, we examine the structures of complexes of Tl and T-MWCNTs using quantum chemical calculations. Our results show that the most favourable complex of Tl-T-MWCNTs involve strong interaction of Tl with the nitrogen lone pair and additional stabilising interaction provided by the oxygen lone pair of amide linkage of T-MWCNTs. Moreover, we observed that the thiol group within T-MWCNTs readily undergoes deprotonation due to its acidic nature. Non-covalent interactions among molecules influence chemical and biological processes and molecular recognition. To improve our knowledge of these events, it is important to explore the ways in which these interactions affect binding preferences The negative value of adsorption energy (−1.53 eV) of this structure suggested that the interaction process between Tl and T-MWCNTs is spontaneous.

Chemical surface modification of carbon dots with Germanium: A highly sensitive and selective ratiometric fluorescence probe for Mg2+ detection using DFT and TD-DFT

In this study, we chemically modified carbon dots (Cdots) using germanium, enhancing their sensitivity and selectivity as a ratiometric fluorescence probe for precise detection of Mg2+ ions. Excitation of the modified Cdots resulted in a distinct emission peak at 527 nm, enabling accurate measurement of Mg2+ concentrations across a linear range. The surface modification with germanium led to the creation of novel emitting centers on the Cdots' surface. Theoretical calculations using density functional theory (DFT) revealed the effective suppression of these emitting centers through a photo-induced electron transfer (PET) process, utilizing the nitrogen lone pair electrons on the Cdots' surface. Furthermore, adjacent Cdots' surface pyrazino[2,3-f][1,10]-phenanthroline (PPT) nitrogen atoms formed chemical bonds with Mg2+ ions, resulting in the formation of aggregated Cdots. Consequently, the intricate complexation terminated the PET process, resulting in a novel emission peak at longer wavelengths. This study presents a highly sensitive and selective ratiometric fluorescent detection system with exceptional low concentration detection limit for precise Mg2+ ion detection.

A systematic study on interplay between intermolecular hydrogen bonding and aromaticity

In this study, the interplay between aromaticity and intermolecular hydrogen bonding was investigated in some heterocyclic compounds using quantum mechanical calculations. The NH … O intermolecular hydrogen bonds between formamide and NH and CO functional groups of the selected compounds enhance the delocalisation of the six-membered ring electron cloud, resulting in an increase in the aromaticity of the ring. The contribution of various factors to the binding energy, including the stabilisation energy of the interplay between aromaticity and H-bonding, was estimated using two model systems. The relative binding energies and the estimated stabilisation energies of the aforementioned interplay can be explained by the weights of resonance structures calculated using the natural resonance theory (NRT) analysis with the natural bond orbitals (NBO) method. These weights reflect the tendency of ring nitrogen lone pairs to contribute to the π electron cloud of the ring. The results of the topological analysis of electron charge densities using the atoms in molecules (AIM) method were used to estimate the aromaticity of the ring. Aromaticity indices, particularly nucleus-independent chemical shifts (NICS) calculated one angstrom above the ring plane, are in good linear correlation with the estimated stabilisation energies and electron density at the H-bond critical points. The sum of the total nuclear spin–spin coupling 1J of adjacent atoms of the ring (Σ1J), and the J values of H-bond donor and H-bond acceptor atoms, 1HJNO, which are in good agreement with the energy data and aromaticity indices, can be used as measures of the interplay between aromaticity and H-bonding. The interplay between H-bonding and the aromaticity of the ring is clearly evident from the changes in the pattern of the molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) contour maps at 1.7 Å above the plane of the molecule upon H-bond complexation.

Lewis acid-catalyzed (3 + 2) annulation of bicyclobutanes with ynamides: access to 2-amino-bicyclo[2.1.1]hexenes.

Strain-release driven annulations with bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes (BCBs) have become an attractive area of research for the synthesis of bioisosteric bicyclohexane derivatives, which play a vital role in drug discovery. Interestingly, the utilization of the inherent strain in BCBs for the synthesis of functionalized amino-bicyclo[2.1.1]hexenes, which may spatially mimic substituted benzenes and anilines, has received only scant attention. Herein, we report the Sc(OTf)3-catalyzed (3 + 2) annulation of BCBs with ynamides for the facile synthesis of 2-amino-bicyclo[2.1.1]hexenes in one step under mild conditions. The reaction likely proceeds via nucleophilic addition facilitated by the nitrogen lone pair from the alkynyl group of the ynamides to the unsubstituted side of the BCBs, followed by the annulation of the resulting enolate with the keteniminium species. For the first time, the C-C triple bond of ynamides was utilized as the coupling partner for BCBs, resulting in products adorned with a functionalizable amino group and an integrated strained alkene moiety.

Quasi-atomic orbital analysis of halogen bonding interactions.

A quasi-atomic orbital analysis of the halogen bonded NH3⋯XF complexes (X = F, Cl, Br, and I) is performed to gain insight into the electronic properties associated with these σ-hole interactions. It is shown that significant sharing of electrons between the nitrogen lone pair of the ammonia molecule and the XF molecule occurs, resulting in a weakening of the X-F bond. In addition, the N-X bond shows increasing covalent character as the size of the halogen atom X increases. While the Mulliken outer complex NH3⋯XF appears to be overall the main species, the strength of the covalent interaction of the N-X bond becomes increasingly similar to that of the N-X bond in the [NH3X]+ cation as the size of X increases.

Activation and Deactivation of Benzylic C−H Bonds Guided by Stereoelectronic Effects in Hydrogen Atom Transfer from Amides and Amines to Alkoxyl Radicals

AbstractKinetic and product studies on the reactions of tert‐alkoxyl radicals with secondary and tertiary alkanamides bearing benzylic α‐C−H bonds, isoindoline, tetrahydroisoquinoline and the corresponding N‐acetyl derivatives were carried out. Product studies on the reactions with the tert‐butoxyl radical (tBuO⋅) point toward exclusive HAT from the benzylic α‐C−H bonds. Comparison of the kH values measured for reaction with the cumyloxyl radical (CumO⋅) with those obtained previously for the corresponding reactions of N‐alkyl‐ and N,N‐dialkylalkanamides, are indicative of a lack of benzylic activation and the operation of steric and stereoelectronic effects. Compared to N‐methyl and N‐ethyl groups, the presence of N‐benzyl groups increases the barrier required to reach the optimal conformation for HAT, where the α‐C−H bond to be cleaved is perpendicular to the plane of the amide, precluding concurrent overlap with the phenyl π‐system. When the benzylic α‐C−H bonds are in a conformation that allows for optimal overlap with both the phenyl π‐system and the amide π‐system or amine nitrogen lone pair, as in the isoindoline and tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives, increases in kH that exceed 2‐orders of magnitude were observed, highlighting the strong contribution provided by stereoelectronic activation to these HAT processes.

Molecular Cage Reports on Its Contents: Spectroscopic Signatures of Cryo-Cooled K+- and Ba2+-Benzocryptand Complexes.

UV photofragment spectroscopy and IR-UV double resonance methods are used to determine the structure and spectroscopic responses of a three-dimensional [2.2.2]-benzocryptand cage to the incorporation of a single K+ or Ba2+ imbedded inside it (labeled as K+-BzCrypt, Ba2+-BzCrypt). We studied the isolated ion-cryptand complex under cryo-cooled conditions, brought into the gas phase by nano-electrospray ionization. Incorporation of a phenyl ring in place of the central ethyl group in one of the three N-CH2-CH2-O-CH2-CH2-O-CH2-CH2-N chains provides a UV chromophore whose S0-S1 transition we probe. K+-BzCrypt and Ba2+-BzCrypt have their S0-S1 origin transitions at 35,925 and 36,446 cm-1, respectively, blue-shifted by 174 and 695 cm-1 from that of 1,2-dimethoxybenzene. These origins are used to excite a single conformation of each complex selectively and record their IR spectra using IR-UV dip spectroscopy. The alkyl CH stretch region (2800-3000 cm-1) is surprisingly sensitive to the presence and nature of the encapsulated ion. We carried out an exhaustive conformational search of cage conformations for K+-BzCrypt and Ba2+-BzCrypt, identifying two conformations (A and B) that lie below all others in energy. We extend our local mode anharmonic model of the CH stretch region to these strongly bound ion-cage complexes to predict conformation-specific alkyl CH stretch spectra, obtaining quantitative agreement with experiment for conformer A, the gas-phase global minimum. The large electrostatic effect of the charge on the O- and N-lone pairs affects the local mode frequencies of the CH2 groups adjacent to these atoms. The localized CH2 scissors modes are pushed up in frequency by the adjacent O/N-atoms so that their overtones have little effect on the alkyl CH stretch region. However, the localized CH2 wags are nearly degenerate and strongly coupled to one another, producing an array of delocalized wag normal modes, whose highest frequency members reach up above 1400 cm-1. As such, their overtones mix significantly with the CH stretch modes, most notably involving the CH2 symmetric stretch fundamentals of the central ethyl groups in the all-alkyl chains and the CH stretches adjacent to the N-atoms and antiperiplanar to the nitrogen lone pair.

Regio‐ and Z‐Selective Alkyne Hydroamination and Hydrophenoxylation using Tetrafluoro‐λ6‐Sulfanyl Alkynes under Superbasic, Naked Anion Conditions

AbstractAlkyne hydroamination is an effective approach for the production of enamines and enamine‐containing N‐heterocycles. However, stereoselectivity control is a considerable challenge in this reaction because of the electronic repulsion between an incoming nitrogen lone pair and the alkyne π‐system. Herein, we propose a methodology involving β‐regio‐ and Z‐selective alkyne hydroamination by using tetrafluoro‐λ6‐sulfanyl (SF4) alkynes under superbasic, naked anion conditions. The reaction is compatible with a wide variety of N‐heterocycles, including indoles, carbazoles, pyrazoles, and imidazoles, and selectively furnishes SF4‐linked Z‐vinyl enamines with β‐regioselectively. Moreover, the method can be extended to the β‐ and Z‐controlled, base‐mediated alkyne hydrophenoxylation with phenols to provide SF4‐linked Z‐vinyl ethers in high yields. As the SF4 unit has attracted attention as a bioisostere for alkynes, p‐benzenes, bicyclo[1.1.1]pentyl (BCP) groups, and cubanes in medicinal chemistry, this chemistry represents an effective approach to creating novel drug candidates incorporating SF4‐containing molecules.