The aiming of this study was to investigate the increase of bromine atoms in guanidine compounds as potential antileishmanial agent. The biological activity of these new compounds is under study. On the other hand, conformational behavior was examined by NMR and XRD.
2.3. Conformacional study
The
1H NMR of LQOF-G35 revealed the signals of the hydrogens NH1 and NH2, with chemical shifts of 5.19 and 12.33 ppm, respectively. This was confirmed by HMBC
1Hx
15N (
Figure S20) and proved the Z isomer. LQOF-G30 showed the same signals at 5.10 and 12.34 ppm, corresponding to NH1 and NH2 respectively, but also showed a high intensity signal at 11.37 ppm (NH2') revealing the
E isomer. In contrast, LQOF-G35-Br showed the signals at 8.61 and 9.64 ppm attributed to NH1' and NH2' with high intensity, that were associated to both
E and
Z isomers in solution. These measurements were conducted at -20 °C (253 K) and the results are shown in
Table 3.
This difference is due to the stabilization of both conformations by the presence of a hydrogen bond between the hydrogen atom of the aniline or benzyl NH groups and the carbonyl oxygen atom, forming a pseudo six-membered cycle. In this way, the NH hydrogen atom involved in the intramolecular hydrogen bond becomes less shielded. Therefore, it is possible to confirm the conformational change from Z to E on the polybromination. This result was confirmed by XRD study (Figure 2).
It is possible to observe the increase of the isomer E population, in agreement with the raise of the bromine atoms in the aniline ring.
Compound LQOF-G35-Br showed a singlet that integrates two protons at 7.73 ppm. This signal is associated with hydrogens H5/H7, confirming the symmetry of the aniline tri-brominated ring. This observation was supported by HMBC 1Hx13C analysis that showed the correlations with four 13C signals, where three of these can be associated with quaternary carbons (C4/C8 115.4 ppm, C3 119.3 ppm and C6 143.6 ppm), as well as with the carbon C5/C7, observed at 134.6 ppm.
Aliphatic hydrogens (H16) were identified by the signal at 4.7 ppm and was corroborated by the HSQC 1Hx13C study. Aromatic hydrogens were observed in the region of 7.0-8.5 ppm.
By 13C NMR analysis it was possible to observe the aliphatic signal attributed to C16 for both compounds. In the regions of 115 and 166 ppm, were observed the signals of all remaining carbons. However, for LQOF-G35-Br an additional quaternary carbon signal was observed when compared with LQOF-G35.
In conjunction with these analyses, a NOESY study was performed.
Figure 1 illustrates the main spatial correlations for investigated guanidines. It was possible to observe intense correlations between H2-H16 and H18-H16 for LQOF-G35, with emphasis on the H13-H16 and H8-H2 correlations, what indicate the
Z conformation. For LQOF-G35-Br, intense correlations were observed between H1-H16, H18-H16 and H19-H16, therefore, indicating the
E conformation.
Single crystals of both compounds were obtained and analyzed using the SCXRD technique. The compound LQOF-G35 crystallizes in the non-centrosymmetric trigonal space group P3
2 and contains three independent molecules in the asymmetric unit, as shown in
Figure 2. The SCRXD study of LQOF-G35 show that the guanidine group present a resonant structure, with C–N bond distances ranging from 1.330 Å to 1.357 Å, formed by the contribution of the different resonance hybrids. As indicated by the NMR analyses, the LQOF-G35 has the
Z conformation, with the amine group from the aniline stabilized by a six membered ring intramolecular hydrogen bond, N1H···O1. The presence of the hydrogen atoms bonded to the nitrogen atoms from the aniline and aminobenzyl groups was also indicated by the SCXRD analysis, with the evaluation of the electronic density maps.
On the other hand, compound LQOF-G35-Br crystallized in the monoclinic space group P2
1/c, containing just one molecule per asymmetric unit (
Figure 3). The analysis of the C-N bond lengths of the guanidine group, C7–N1 (1.290(3) Å), C7–N2 (1.409(3) Å) and C7–N3 (1.348(3) Å), indicate that the double bond is not in resonance in this case, just involving the atoms C7 and N1. An inversion in the position of the aniline and aminobenzyl groups was verified in the structure of LQOF-G35-Br, presenting an
E conformation about the C7–N2, being now stabilized by another six membered ring intramolecular hydrogen bond, in this case involving N3H···O1. The electronic density maps analysis also confirmed the presence of the hydrogen atoms bonded to the nitrogen atoms N2 and N3.
To better understanding the conformational change, LQOF-G35 was subjected to 12 hours of infrared irradiation without NBS and subsequently analyzed by 1H NMR. This experiment revealed that the initial Z conformation of LQOF-G35 was conserved. Therefore, the polybromination was responsible for the preferential E conformation observed in LQOF-G35-Br, more specifically the entrance of the second atom of bromo, which was confirmed because the compound with two bromine atoms in the aniline ring was synthesized and it showed only the Z conformation.
The
Z/E conformational ratio is directly related to the position of the double bond N10=C9 (
Figure 1). The entry of the second atom of bromo in the aniline moiety, promoted the rotation of the aniline ring and the breaking of the
pi conjugation of the aniline nitrogen with the
pi-aromatic cloud, because of the loss of p-p orbitals superposition (structures 3 and 4 in
Scheme 1). Consequently, the free electrons-pair of the nitrogen can be conjugated toward the guanidine-central carbon, promoting the
pi electrons migration until the opening of the carbonyl double bond and enolate formation. Therefore, the N10-C9 became a sigma bond allowing the rotation to reach the
E conformation with the carbonyl double bound (keto form) regenerated and the N10=C9 double bond restored (structure 5 in
Scheme 1). Finaly, a tautomer formed from the isomer
E of compound LQOF-G35-Br crystallized and the corresponding monocrystal was measured by XRD (structure 6 in
Scheme 1).
2.4. Structural data of compounds
(Z)-N-benzoyl-N-benzyl-N-(4-bromophenyl)guanidine (LQOF-G2). Yield of isolated product 69%. MM: 407.06 g.mol-1. White solid. Melting point: 101.5-101.8°C. 1H NMR 263K (500.16 MHz, CDCl3) δ Z isomer = 12.21 (s, 1H), 8.28 (d, 2H), 7.54 (d, 1H), 7.50 (q, 2H), 7.44 (t, 3H), 7.40 – 7.34 (m, 4H), 7.33 (m, 1H), 7.16 (d, 1H), 5.23 (t, 1H), 4.82 (d, 2H). 13C NMR (125.765 MHz, CDCl3) δ = 177.8 (C=O), 158.2 (C=N), 138.2 (C), 137.9 (C), 134.6 (C), 133.2 (CH), 131.4 (CH), 129.0 (CH), 128.8 (CH), 128.7 (CH), 127.9 (CH), 127.6 (CH), 127.3 (CH), 127.2 (CH), 120.1 (C-Br), 45.1 (N-CH2). δ E isomer = 11.25 (s, 1H). GC-MS/EI (m/z 406).
(Z)-N-benzoyl-N-benzyl-N-(2-bromophenyl)guanidine (LQOF-G35). Yield of isolated product 83%. MM: 407.06 g.mol-1. White solid. Melting point: 103-104°C. 1H NMR 263K (500.16 MHz, CDCl3) δ Z isomer = 12.33 (s, 1H), 8.30 (d, 2H), 7.69 (d, 1H), 7.50 (q, 2H), 7.43 (t, 3H), 7.41 – 7.34 (m, 4H), 7.31 (m, 1H), 7.16 (t, 1H), 5.19 (t, 1H), 4.84 (d, 2H). 13C NMR (125.765 MHz, CDCl3) δ = 177.7 (C=O), 158.1 (C=N), 138.2 (C), 137.8 (C), 134.6 (C), 134.0 (CH), 131.4 (CH), 129.1 (CH), 128.8 (CH), 128.7 (CH), 127.9 (CH), 127.6 (CH), 127.5 (CH), 127.4 (CH), 121.2 (C-Br), 45.0 (N-CH2). δ E isomer = 11.28 (s, 1H). GC-MS/EI (m/z 406). ESI(+)-MS m/z found 408.0705, m/z calculated for [C21H18BrN3O + H]+: 408.0706; ESI(+)-MS/MS: M+H – C6H5CONH2]+ m/z 287.0175, [M+H – C15H12N2O]+ m/z 171.9757, [M+H – C13H12BrN2]+ m/z 122.0603.
(Z)-N-benzoyl-N-benzyl-N-(2,4-dibromophenyl)guanidine (LQOF-G30). Yield of isolated product 71%. MM: 487.19 g.mol-1. White solid. Melting point: 130.6 – 131.4°C. 1H NMR 263K (500.16 MHz, CDCl3) δ Z isomer = 12.34 (s, 1H), 8.31 (d, 2H), 7.84 (s, 2H), 7.71 – 7.24 (m, 19H), 5.10 (t, 1H), 4.83 (d, 2H), 4.67 (t, 2H). 13C NMR (125.765 MHz, CDCl3) δ = 177.9 (C=O), 157.9 (C=N), 138.0 (C), 137.8 (C), 136.4 (C), 134.0 (CH), 131.7 (CH), 129.1 (CH), 128.8 (CH), 128.3 (CH), 127.9 (CH), 127.7 (CH), 127.1 (CH), 122.1 (CH), 121.0 (C-Br), 45.2 (N-CH2). δ E isomer = 11.37 (s, 1H). LC-UV/MS: 99.82%; ESI(+)-MS: m/z 485.9812, m/z calculated [C21H16Br2N3O+H]+: 487.9790; ESI(+)-MS/MS [M+H – C6H5C(O)NH2]+ m/z 366.9258.
(E)-N-benzoyl-N-benzyl-N-(2,4,6-tri-bromophenyl)guanidine (LQOF-G35-Br). Yield of isolated product 60%. MM: 566.09 g.mol-1. White solid. Melting point: 148-149°C. 1H NMR 263K (500.16 MHz, CDCl3) δ E isomer 9.64 (s, 1H), 8.63 (s, 1H), 8.29 (d, 2H), 7.78 – 7.64 (m, 4H), 7.61 – 7.53 (m, 4H), 7.53 – 7.22 (m, 20H) 7.16 (t, 1H), 5.31 (t, 1H), 4.83 (d, 2H);; δ Z isomer 12.26 (s, 1H), 5.31 (s, 1H). 13C NMR (125.765 MHz, CDCl3) δ = 166.8 (C=O), 144.4 (C=N), 143.3 (C-Br), 138.0 (C), 134.5 (CH), 133.2 (CH), 132.6 (C), 129.1 (CH), 128.6 (CH), 127.9 (CH), 127.6 (CH), 127.0 (CH), 119.3 (C), 115.4 (2C-Br), 45.0 (N-CH2). δ Z isomer = 12.26 (s, 1H), 5.31 (s, 1H). GC-MS/EI (m/z 565): 77, 91, 105, 122, 285, 406, 486. HRESI-MS m/z 565.8898 [M+H]+ (calcd for C21H16Br3N3O1, 566.091, Δ= -0.2012 ppm). Ionic fragment observed in ESI(+)-MS/MS: [M+H–C14H11BrN2O]+ m/z 486.5555.