Issue 22, 2023

Hydrogen-bonding and resonance stabilisation effects in cationic bis(iminium) phenoxide diacids

Abstract

The synthesis and characterisation of a bis(iminium)phenoxide diacid cation [4-tBu-C6H2-2,6-(HC[double bond, length as m-dash]N(H)Dipp)-1-O]+ ([H2tBu,DippL]+), is discussed. [H2tBu,DippL][BF4] (1) and [H2tBu,DippL][H2N{B(C6F5)3}2] (2) were synthesised in high yields via protonation of the bis(imino)phenol conjugate base with ethereal HBF4 or Bochmann's acid ([H(OEt2)2][H2N{B(C6F5)3}2]). Both species were fully characterised using NMR and IR spectroscopy as well as X-ray crystallography. The cationic fragment adopts an unusual tautomeric form in which both acidic protons are located on the nitrogen atoms: [HN〈O〉NH]+. This bis(iminium) phenoxide tautomer is stabilised by delocalisation of electron density from oxygen, into the extended π-system of the planar cation, and was found to be 22.6 and 263.1 kJ mol−1 lower in energy (ΔG) than the alternative [N〈OH〉NH]+ and [N〈OH2〉N]+ tautomers respectively. Topological analysis confirmed the presence of two electrostatic N+H⋯O hydrogen bonds which contribute −111.2 kJ mol−1 towards the stabilisation of the diacid. The pKa values of the cations were estimated, from NMR experiments, to be 4.2 in THF (1) and 11.4 in acetonitrile (2).

Graphical abstract: Hydrogen-bonding and resonance stabilisation effects in cationic bis(iminium) phenoxide diacids

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
24 Apr 2023
Accepted
18 May 2023
First published
30 May 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2023,25, 15463-15468

Hydrogen-bonding and resonance stabilisation effects in cationic bis(iminium) phenoxide diacids

R. L. Jones, L. J. Morris, C. G. Collins Rice, Z. R. Turner and D. O’Hare, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2023, 25, 15463 DOI: 10.1039/D3CP01881D

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