Structural and spectral analysis of ortho- and meta-substituted nitraminopyridine N-oxides

Cryogenic fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy studies on monomeric and dimeric species of 2-butylamino-6-methyl-4-nitropyridine N-oxide

2-Butylamino-6-methyl-4-nitropyridine-N-oxide (2B6M) belongs to a group of compounds that can undergo not only excited-state intra-, but also intermolecular proton transfer. The latter of course requires the presence of dimeric species. Previously, we have shown that for 2B6M in aprotic non-polar solvents in the liquid state such dimers play no role. Under these conditions, only one single monomeric species exists, exhibiting anomalous fluorescence behavior, i.e. proton transfer not only starting from the lowest excited electronic singlet state, but also from higher excited states. However, we also noted that under frozen, crystalline matrix conditions more species show up in the spectra. In order to study this multi-species system in more detail, we present absorption and fluorescence experiments on 2B6M, recorded in n-octane at various temperatures between 293 and 5 K. High-resolution spectra are included, not only in fluorescence but also in absorption. We demonstrate that under cryogenic conditions three species can be discerned, two of these providing high-resolution spectra with their main 0-0 lines around 452 and 465 nm, respectively. A detailed vibrational analysis of their emission spectra is included. The third species gives broad-banded spectra, in absorption extending to about 520 nm with its long-wavelength maximum around 460 nm, in emission with a maximum around 535 nm. We tentatively assign the three species to a monomer, a H-bonded dimer and a strongly interacting (pi-pi-stacked) dimer, respectively. We conclude from the excitation spectra that (anomalous) intramolecular proton transfer at higher excited states is still operative under cryogenic conditions. Indications for excited-state intermolecular proton transfer in the stacked dimeric species were not found.

A theoretical study on protonation of some halogen substituted pyridine derivatives

The geometries of 12 multi-halogenated pyridine derivatives were optimized using theoretical methods. The Hartree-Fock (HF) method with the 6-31G(d) and B3LYP method with 6-31G(d) basis sets were found to be adequate in calculation of absolute acidity constants, pK(a) values. A perfect correlation between the computed and experimentally obtained acidity constants, pK(a) values, was observed.

Intramolecular Proton-Transfer Processes Starting at Higher Excited States: A Fluorescence Study on 2-Butylamino-6-methyl-4-nitropyridine N-Oxide in Nonpolar Solutions

This article describes the exceptional photophysics of 2-butylamino-6-methyl-4-nitropyridine N-oxide (2B6M). It is known from the literature that this compound may undergo excited-state intra- or intermolecular proton-transfer reactions. In nonpolar solvents, 2B6M exhibits an unusual fluorescence behavior: there is a substantial difference between the relative band intensities of the excitation and absorption spectra. Furthermore, in emission two bands are observed, and their relative intensities depend on the excitation wavelength, thus violating the Kasha-Vavilov rule. It is the objective of this research to interpret these results. For this purpose, steady-state fluorescence excitation and emission spectra in the liquid state were recorded and quantum yields were determined for the two types of emission. In addition, absorption spectra were measured at room temperature and under low-temperature conditions. Finally, fluorescence lifetimes of the emitting species were determined using the time-correlated single photon counting technique. The results suggest that in the liquid state only one (monomeric) ground state species dominates, which can emit via two different pathways (from the normal and the tautomeric excited state). The excitation spectra point at two different internal proton-transfer processes, one starting at the S1 state and one starting at the S2 state. On the basis of the measured lifetimes and fluorescence quantum yields, a kinetic scheme was completed that can quantitatively explain the observations.

Femtosecond Studies of Charge-Transfer Mediated Proton Transfer in 2-Butylamino-6-methyl-4-nitropyridine N-Oxide

We have unraveled the effects of an amino substituent in the ortho position on the excited-state dynamics of 4-nitropyridine N-oxide by studying the picosecond fluorescence kinetics and femtosecond transient absorption of a newly synthesized compound, 2-butylamino-6-methyl-4-nitropyridine N-oxide, and by quantum chemical calculations. Similar to the parent compound, the S(1) state of the target molecule has significant charge-transfer character and shows a large (approximately 8000 cm(-1)) static Stokes shift in acetonitrile. Analysis of the experimental and the theoretical results leads, however, to a new scenario in which this intramolecular charge transfer triggers in polar, aprotic solvents an ultrafast (around 100 fs) intramolecular proton transfer between the amino and the N-O group. The electronically excited N-OH tautomer is subsequently subject to solvent relaxation and decays with a lifetime of approximately 150 ps to the ground state.

Structural and vibrational investigation of para-nitraminopyridine N-oxide. A combined experimental and theoretical studies

The X-ray and vibrational spectroscopic analysis of para-nitraminopyridine N-oxide are reported. The crystals of investigated compound belong to P2(1) of the monoclinic system, Z=4, a=3.735 A, b=11.767 A, c=14.679 A and beta=93.27 degrees . Room temperature powder infrared and Raman spectra of the title compound and its deuterated analogue were measured. The molecular structure of p-nitraminopyridine N-oxide has been calculated with the aid of density functional (B3LYP) method with the extended 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. The calculated geometrical parameters of investigated molecule in gas phase were compared with experimental X-ray data. The harmonic frequencies, potential energy distribution (PED) and IR intensities of p-nitroaminopyridine N-oxide and its deuterated analogue were calculated with B3LYP method. The assignment of the experimental spectra has been made on the basis of the calculated PED. The time depend Hartree-Fock (TDHF) method was used for calculations of hyperpolarizability beta coefficient.

Crystal structure and spectral considerations of 5-methyl-2-nitraminopyridine N-oxide

The crystal structure of 5-methyl-2-nitraminopyridine N-oxide (5M) has been determined and its electronic absorption spectra in the solution have been investigated. In the solid, two monomeric proton-transferred (PT) units of 5M are perpendicularly located in the crystal lattice. They are connected by two intermolecular hydrogen bonds of different strength (O-H···N 2.647(3) and 2.695(3) Å). In the gas phase the same relative arrangement of both 5M (PT) monomers has been found. As results from semiempirical PM3-CI calculations (12–14), the prototropic amino (H) [Formula: see text] imino (PT) equilibrium may occur in the solution. Assignment of experimental absorption bands to the calculated transition energies of both forms of 5M reveals that hydrogen bonded 5M (PT) dimers are dominant in cyclohexane while imino (PT) monomers seem to prevail in acetonitrile solution. The different character of electronic transitions and different relative arrangement of both monomers in amino (H) than in imino (PT) dimers are responsible for very low oscillator strengths and dipole moments of the former.Key words: crystal structure, methylated nitraminopyridine N-oxides, semiempirical PM3-CI computations, intermolecular hydrogen bonding.