NMR structural study of the prototropic equilibrium in solution of Schiff bases as model compounds

Molecules. 2013 Dec 31;19(1):459-81. doi: 10.3390/molecules19010459.

Abstract

An NMR titration method has been used to simultaneously measure the acid dissociation constant (pKa) and the intramolecular NHO prototropic constant ΔKNHO on a set of Schiff bases. The model compounds were synthesized from benzylamine and substituted ortho-hydroxyaldehydes, appropriately substituted with electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups to modulate the acidity of the intramolecular NHO hydrogen bond. The structure in solution was established by 1H-, 13C- and 15N-NMR spectroscopy. The physicochemical parameters of the intramolecular NHO hydrogen bond (pKa, ΔKNHO and ΔΔG°) were obtained from 1H-NMR titration data and pH measurements. The Henderson-Hasselbalch data analysis indicated that the systems are weakly acidic, and the predominant NHO equilibrium was established using Polster-Lachmann δ-diagram analysis and Perrin model data linearization.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Molecular Structure
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular* / methods
  • Schiff Bases / chemical synthesis
  • Schiff Bases / chemistry*
  • Solutions

Substances

  • Schiff Bases
  • Solutions