No abstract

2-Phenacylpyridines substituted in the benzene ring are in equilibrium with (Z)-2-(2-hydroxy-2-phenylvinyl)pyridines when dissolved in chloroform. The substituent affects significantly the tautomeric equilibrium [the amount of the enolimine form stabilized by the intramolecular hydrogen bond is 1 and 92% for R = p-N(CH 2 ) 4 and p-NO 2 , respectively]. The negative logarithm of the tautomeric equilibrium constant, K T , is linearly dependent on the Hammett σ substituent constants. The dependence of K T vs. temperature is exponential in character: the more electronwithdrawing is the substituent, the more distinct is the influence of temperature. Unexpectedly, the tautomer present in the crystalline state is not the same for all compounds studied (it is the ketimine one for those carrying strong electron-donor groups). Among the different ab initio methods used to calculate the enthalpy of the proton transfer in chloroform solution, MP2/6-31G** gives the best results.

The reaction of SeCl2 with tert-butylamine in various molar ratios in THF at -78 degrees C has been investigated by 77Se NMR spectroscopy. In addition to the known Se-N heterocycles Se6(NtBu)2 (1) and Se9(NtBu)6 (2), the acyclic imidoselenium(II) dichlorides ClSe[N(tBu)Se]nCl (4, n = 1; 5, n = 2) and two new cyclic selenium imides [Se3(NtBu)2]n (3, n = 1 or 2) and Se3(NtBu)3 (6) have been isolated and identified. An X-ray analysis shows that 6 is a six-membered ring in a chair conformation with magnitude of d(Se-N) = 1.833 A. Crystal data: 6, trigonal, P3c1, a = 9.8660(3) A, c = 20.8427(7) A, V = 1757.0(1) A3, Z = 6. The 1H, 13C, and 77Se NMR data for 1-6 are reported, and some reassignments of earlier literature data for 1-3 (n = 1) are made. The decomposition of tBuN=Se=NtBu at 20 degrees C in toluene was monitored by 77Se NMR. The major products are 6 and 3. The Se(IV)-N systems tBuNSe(mu-NtBu)2E (7, E = SO2; 8, E = SeO) were prepared by the reaction of a mixture of SeCl4 and excess tBuNH2 with SO2Cl2 or SeOCl2, respectively. Compound 8 is also generated by the cycloaddition reaction of tBuNSeNtBu with tBuNSeO. Both 7 and 8 consist of slightly puckered four-membered rings. The mean terminal and bridging Se-N distances in 7 are 1.665(2) and 1.948(2) A, respectively. The corresponding values for 8 are 1.687(4) and 1.900(4) A, and d(Se=O) = 1.628(4) A. Crystal data: 7, monoclinic, P2(1)/c, a = 18.669(4) A, b = 12.329(2) A, c = 16.463(3) A, beta = 115.56(3) degrees, V = 3418.4(11) A3, Z = 4; 8, triclinic, P1, a = 6.372(1) A, b = 9.926(2) A, c = 14.034(3) A, alpha = 99.320(3) A, beta = 95.764(3) A, gamma = 103.876(3) A, V = 841.3(3) A3, Z = 2.