Spiro-cyclic compounds frequently have screw-type symmetry
(C
2) and are therefore optically active
even though
they do not contain an asymmetric carbon atom. (R/S)-1,6-Dinitro-3,8-dioxa-1,6-diazaspiro[4.4]nonane-2,7-dione
is such a molecule. A blind crystal structure prediction study of
structures containing one molecule in the asymmetric unit and considering
all 230 space groups was undertaken using a dispersion-corrected density
functional approach, which found a packing that matched the experimental
structure of the (R/S) form as the
lowest energy packing alternative. The densities of (R/S)- and (S)-
or (R)-1,6-dinitro-3,8-dioxa-1,6-diazaspiro[4.4]nonane-2,7-dione
calculated for the optimized experimental crystal structures confirmed
that there is a small difference in the densities of the racemate
and the optically active compound, with the optically active material
being slightly more dense (1.875 versus 1.842 g/cm3). (R/S)-1,6-Dinitro-3,8-dioxa-1,6-diazaspiro[4.4]nonane-2,7-dione
was synthesized as previously described. Synthesis of the pure (S)-stereoisomer was accomplished by resolution of the racemic
dithiourethane using a previously described method, followed by reaction
of the pure enantiomer with acetyl nitrate. The absolute configuration
of the l-3,8-dioxa-1,6-diazaspiro[4.4]nonane-2,7-dithione
was established as (S)- by redetermining the crystal
structure at 150 K. The racemate crystallizes in space group P21/n with a density of 1.835
g/cm3 (296 K). The (S)-compound crystallizes
in space group P212121 with a density of 1.854 g/cm3 (296 K). This is the first
demonstration of a difference in the density between the racemic mixture
and the optically pure stereoisomer of an energetic material. It is
also an apparent violation of Wallach’s rule, which states
that racemic crystals tend to be denser than their optically active
counterparts.