N.M.R. spectra and stereochemistry of the bipyridyls. III. 2,2'-Bipyridyl and dimethyl derivatives, 3,3'- bipyridyl, and 4,4' - bipyridyl

Abstract

The analysis of the n.m.r, spectra of 2,2?-, 3,3?-, and 4,4?-bipyridyl and three dimethyl-2,2?-bipyridyls is reported and the factors determining the relative chemical shifts of the ring protons and methyl groups in several solvents are discussed. The diamagnetic anisotropy of the neighbouring ring and electrostatic field effect of the nitrogen lone pair electrons are shown to be of roughly equal importance for derivatives of 2,2?-bipyridyl except in hydrogen bonding solvents. Attenuation of the electrostatic field effect in polar, and particularly in hydrogen bonding solvents, is established for 4- picoline, and for the bipyridyls, and this effect is responsible for striking changes in the spectrum of 2,2?-bipyridyl in hydrogen bonding solvents. An approximate interplanar angle of 58° is derived for 3,3?- dimethyl-2,2?-bipyridyl, and 2,2?-bipyridyl and its 4,4?- and 5,5?- dimethyl derivatives appear to be trans coplanar in all solvents. 3,3?- Bipyridyl and 4,4?-bipyridyl are probably highly twisted in all solvents, or alternatively, behave as essentially free rotors. The predicted conformations are in good agreement with the electronic spectral data.