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1. Exceptionally Long Covalent CC Bonds—A Local Vibrational Mode Study

   https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26040950  

   Delgado, Alexis Antoinette; Humason, Alan; Kalescky, Robert; Freindorf, Marek; Kraka, Elfi (February 2021, Molecules)

   For decades one has strived to synthesize a compound with the longest covalent C−C bond applying predominantly steric hindrance and/or strain to achieve this goal. On the other hand electronic effects have been added to the repertoire, such as realized in the electron deficient ethane radical cation in its D3d form. Recently, negative hyperconjugation effects occurring in diamino-o-carborane analogs such as di-N,N-dimethylamino-o-carborane have been held responsible for their long C−C bonds. In this work we systematically analyzed CC bonding in a diverse set of 53 molecules including clamped bonds, highly sterically strained complexes such as diamondoid dimers, electron deficient species, and di-N,N-dimethylamino-o-carborane to cover the whole spectrum of possibilities for elongating a covalent C−C bond to the limit. As a quantitative intrinsic bond strength measure, we utilized local vibrational CC stretching force constants ka(CC) and related bond strength orders BSO n(CC), computed at the ωB97X-D/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory. Our systematic study quantifies for the first time that whereas steric hindrance and/or strain definitely elongate a C−C bond, electronic effects can lead to even longer and weaker C−C bonds. Within our set of molecules the electron deficient ethane radical cation, in D3d symmetry, acquires the longest C−C bond with a length of 1.935 Å followed by di-N,N-dimethylamino-o-carborane with a bond length of 1.930 Å. However, the C−C bond in di-N,N-dimethylamino-o-carborane is the weakest with a BSO n value of 0.209 compared to 0.286 for the ethane radical cation; another example that the longer bond is not always the weaker bond. Based on our findings we provide new guidelines for the general characterization of CC bonds based on local vibrational CC stretching force constants and for future design of compounds with long C−C bonds. 

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2. Crystal structure of N , N -diisopropyl-4-methylbenzenesulfonamide

   https://doi.org/10.1107/S2056989020007185  

   Stenfors, Brock A.; Staples, Richard J.; Biros, Shannon M.; Ngassa, Felix N. (July 2020, Acta Crystallographica Section E Crystallographic Communications)

   The synthesis of the title compound, C 13 H 21 NO 2 S, is reported here along with its crystal structure. This compound crystallizes with two molecules in the asymmetric unit. The sulfonamide functional group of this structure features S=O bond lengths ranging from 1.433 (3) to 1.439 (3) Å, S—C bond lengths of 1.777 (3) and 1.773 (4) Å, and S—N bond lengths of 1.622 (3) and 1.624 (3) Å. When viewing the molecules down the S—N bond, the isopropyl groups are gauche to the aromatic ring. On each molecule, two methyl hydrogen atoms of one isopropyl group are engaged in intramolecular C—H...O hydrogen bonds with a nearby sulfonamide oxygen atom. Intermolecular C—H...O hydrogen bonds and C—H...π interactions link molecules of the title compound in the solid state. 

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3. Structural effects on the bromination rate and selectivity of alkylbenzenes and alkoxybenzenes in aqueous solution

   https://doi.org/10.1039/D1CP02422A  

   Schammel, Marella H.; Martin-Culet, Kayla R.; Taggart, Garrett A.; Sivey, John D. (August 2021, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics)

   null (Ed.)

   Aqueous free bromine species ( e.g. , HOBr, BrCl, Br 2 , BrOCl, Br 2 O, and H 2 OBr + ) can react with activated aromatic compounds via electrophilic aromatic substitution to generate products with industrial applications, environmental consequences, and potentially adverse biological effects. The relative contributions of these brominating agents to overall bromination rates can be calculated via nonlinear regression analyses of kinetic data collected under a variety of solution conditions, including variations in parameters ( e.g. , [Cl − ], [Br − ], and pH) known to influence free bromine speciation. Herein, kinetic experiments conducted in batch reactors were employed to evaluate the contributions of steric and electronic effects on bromination of monosubstituted alkylbenzenes (ethyl, isopropyl, tert -butyl) and alkoxybenzenes (ethoxy, isopropoxy, tert -butoxy) and to elucidate the inherent reactivities of aqueous brominating agents towards these aromatic compounds. For bromination at the para position of alkylbenzenes, overall reactivity increased from tert -butyl < ethyl ≈ isopropyl. For bromination at the para position of alkoxybenzenes, reactivity increased from tert -butoxy < ethoxy < isopropoxy. In going from ethyl to tert -butyl and ethoxy to isopropoxy, unfavorable steric effects attenuated the favorable electronic effects imparted by the substituents. When comparing unsubstituted benzene, alkyl-, and alkoxybenzenes, the structure of the substituent has a significant effect on bromination rates, nucleophile regioselectivity, and electrophile chemoselectivity. Hirshfeld charges were useful predictors of reactivity and regioselectivity. The experimental results were also modeled using Taft equations. Collectively, these findings indicate that steric effects, electronic effects, and brominating agents other than HOBr can influence aromatic compound bromination in solutions of free bromine. 

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4. Crystal structure of a tris(2-aminoethyl)methane capped carbamoylmethylphosphine oxide compound

   https://doi.org/10.1107/S2056989024008478  

   Wackerle, Brandon G; Werner, Eric J; Staples, Richard J; Biros, Shannon M (September 2024, Acta Crystallographica Section E Crystallographic Communications)

   The molecular structure of the tripodal carbamoylmethylphosphine oxide compound diethyl {[(5-[2-(diethoxyphosphoryl)acetamido]-3-{2-[2-(diethoxyphosphoryl)acetamido]ethyl}pentyl)carbamoyl]methyl}phosphonate, C₂₅H₅₂N₃O₁₂P₃, features six intramolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions. The phosphonate groups have key bond lengths ranging from 1.4696 (12) to 1.4729 (12) Å (P=O), 1.5681 (11) to 1.5811 (12) Å (P—O) and 1.7881 (16) to 1.7936 (16) Å (P—C). Each amide group adopts a nearly perfecttransgeometry, and the geometry around each phophorus atom resembles a slightly distorted tetrahedron. 

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5. Glycosidic linkage, N -acetyl side-chain, and other structural properties of methyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β- D -glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-β- D -mannopyranoside monohydrate and related compounds

   https://doi.org/10.1107/S2053229620001515  

   Zhang, Wenhui; Meredith, Reagan J.; Oliver, Allen G.; Carmichael, Ian; Serianni, Anthony S. (March 2020, Acta Crystallographica Section C Structural Chemistry)

   null (Ed.)

   The crystal structure of methyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β-D-glycopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-mannopyranoside monohydrate, C 15 H 27 NO 11 ·H 2 O, was determined and its structural properties compared to those in a set of mono- and disaccharides bearing N -acetyl side-chains in βGlcNAc aldohexopyranosyl rings. Valence bond angles and torsion angles in these side chains are relatively uniform, but C—N (amide) and C—O (carbonyl) bond lengths depend on the state of hydrogen bonding to the carbonyl O atom and N—H hydrogen. Relative to N -acetyl side chains devoid of hydrogen bonding, those in which the carbonyl O atom serves as a hydrogen-bond acceptor display elongated C—O and shortened C—N bonds. This behavior is reproduced by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, indicating that the relative contributions of amide resonance forms to experimental C—N and C—O bond lengths depend on the solvation state, leading to expectations that activation barriers to amide cis – trans isomerization will depend on the polarity of the environment. DFT calculations also revealed useful predictive information on the dependencies of inter-residue hydrogen bonding and some bond angles in or proximal to β-(1→4) O -glycosidic linkages on linkage torsion angles ϕ and ψ. Hypersurfaces correlating ϕ and ψ with the linkage C—O—C bond angle and total energy are sufficiently similar to render the former a proxy of the latter. 

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