The diastereotopy of the methylene protons at positions 2 and 6 in 1,4-dihydropiridine derivatives with various substituents has been investigated. NMR spectroscopy and quantum chemistry calculations show that the CH···O intramolecular hydrogen bond is one of the factors amplifying the chemical shift differences in the 1H-NMR spectra.

1,4-Dihydropyridine (1,4-DHP) derivatives have been synthesized and characterized by 1H, 13C, 15N nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, secondary proton/deuterium 13C isotope shifts, variable temperature 1H NMR experiments and quantum-chemical calculation. The intramolecular hydrogen bonds NH⋯O=C and CH⋯O=C in these compounds were established by NMR and quantum-chemical studies The downfield shift of the NH proton, accompanied by the upfield shift of the 15N nuclear magnetic resonance signals, the shift to the higher wavenumbers of the NH stretching vibration in the infrared spectra and the increase of the 1J(15N,1H) values may indicate the shortening of the N–H bond length upon intramolecular NH⋯O=C hydrogen bond formation.

Three groups of synthetic lipids are chosen for studies: (1) 1,4-dihydropyridines (1,4-DHPs) containing two cationic moieties and their analogues; (2) 3,4-dihydro-2(1H)-pyridones containing a cationic moiety; and (3) acyclic, open-chain analogues, i.e., 2-amino-3-alkoxycarbonylalkylammonium derivatives. 1,4-DHPs possessing dodecyl alkyl chains in the ester groups in positions 3 and 5 and cationic nitrogen-containing groups in positions 2 and 6 have high cytotoxicity in cancer cells HT-1080 (human lung fibrosarcoma) and MH-22A (mouse hepatoma), but low cytotoxicity in the noncancerous NIH3T3 cells (mouse embryonic fibroblast). On the contrary, similar compounds having short (methyl, ethyl, or propoxyethyl) chains in the ester groups in positions 3 and 5 lack cytotoxicity in the cancer cells HT-1080 and MH-22A even at high doses. Inclusion of fluorine atoms in the alkyl chains in positions 3 and 5 of the DHP cycle decreases the cytotoxicity of the mentioned compounds. Structurally related dihydropyridones with a polar head group are substantially more toxic to normal and cancerous cells than the DHP analogues. Open-chain analogues of DHP lipids comprise the same conjugated aminovinylcarbonyl moiety and possess anticancer activity, but they also have high basal cytotoxicity. Electrochemical oxidation data demonstrate that oxidation potentials of selected compounds are in the range of 1.6–1.7 V for cationic 1,4-DHP, 2.0–2.4 V for cationic 3,4-dihydropyridones, and 1.2–1.5 V for 2-amino-3-alkoxycarbonylalkylammonium derivatives. Furthermore, the tested cationic 1,4-DHP amphiphiles possess antiradical activity. Molecular topological polar surface area values for the tested compounds were defined in accordance with the main fragments of compound structures. The determined log P values were highest for dodecyl ester groups in positions 3 and 5 of the 1,4-DHP and lowest for short alkyl chain-containing amphiphiles.

A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer is a key instrument in the organic synthesis laboratory for structure determination, reaction control, and compound purity analysis. In addition to qualitative analysis, the application of NMR for quantitative analysis (qNMR) is gaining popularity. qNMR allows for simple quantification of crude product mixtures, determination of reaction yields, and purity of organic compounds. The determination of NMR yield requires the addition of an internal standard to each sample. Herein, we report a method where CDCl3 residual solvent signal is used as an internal standard for qNMR after quantification in the solvent batch. This method significantly simplifies sample preparation and allows straightforward recovery of the analyte by the simple evaporation of the NMR solvent. The accuracy of the method is comparable to qNMR with 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene as an internal standard if the herein described guidelines are followed.

A reaction of diethyl 2,4,6‐trimethyl‐1,4‐dihydropyridine‐3,5‐dicarboxylate with 1, 2, and more equivalents of N‐bromosuccinimide (NBS) in methanol was investigated by NMR spectroscopy at a temperature interval ranging from 25 to 40°C. The reaction was found to proceed through several steps. The structures of the intermediates diethyl 3‐bromo‐2,4,6‐trimethyl‐3,4‐dihydropyridine‐3,5‐dicarboxylate, diethyl 3‐bromo‐2‐methoxy‐2,4,6‐trimethyl‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydropyridine‐3,5‐dicarboxylate, and diethyl 3,5‐dibromo‐2‐methoxy‐2,4,6‐trimethyl‐2,3,4,5‐tetrahydropyridine‐3,5‐dicarboxylate were identified by multinuclear (1H, 13C, and 15N) NMR spectral data. The optimal structures of all species participating in the reaction as well as changes in their relative energies along with the proposed pathway of the reaction were analyzed by quantum‐chemical calculations. The mechanism of bromination of diethyl 2,4,6‐trimethyl‐1,4‐dihydropyridine‐3,5‐dicarboxylate with NBS in methanol was found to favor the bromination in the 2,6‐methyl side chains as the only products in full agreement with experimental observations.