Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Intramolecular Interactions of 2-Methyl-3-(2-Methylphenyl)but-1-ene-1,1-dicarbonitrile (MMBD)

Abstract

2-Methyl-3-(2-methylphenyl)but-1-ene-1,1-dicarbonitrile (MMBD) has been synthesized from 3-(o-tolyl)butan-2-one. The crystal and molecular structure of this compound was solved by X-ray diffraction, with estimated standard deviations ≤ £ 0.005 Ǻ for bond lengths, and ≤ 0.3° for bond angles. Intramolecular interactions of the C≡N group, i.e. of the C-H...N, C-H...π (electrons) and C-H...C type, were observed, and the possibility of weak intramolecular hydrogen bridges in the molecule of MMBD was considered. The geometry of the MMBD molecule from AM1 calculations was compared with the X-ray structure.