Ab initio study of atropisomers of derivatives of 1,8-di-pyridine 9H-fluorene, dibenzo[b,d]furan, 9H-carbazole and dibenzo[b,d]thiophene

Ab initio calculation at HF/6-31G* and MP2/6-31G* levels of theory for geometry optimization of some syn- and anti-1,8-di-pyridine 9H-fluorene, dibenzo[b,d]furan, 9H-carbazole and Dibenzo[b,d]thiophene are reported. The rotational barrier energy, heat of formation and Gibbs energy are determined for the conversion of the anti-(syn) to the syn (anti)-isomers at 25 degrees C in the gas phase. The models are chosen as isomers of 9H-fluorene, dibenzo[b,d]furan, 9H-carbazole and dibenzo[b,d]thiophene as scaffold with pyridine as module. Results obtained show that (at equilibrium) for most of atropisomers the syn- is favored over the anti-isomer. Moreover, the ground state structures show that the modules are not parallel to each other but are tilted away in order to increase separation and there by minimize electrostatic repulsion. In atropisomers of 9H-carbazole the isomers are showing an attraction due to the presence of nitrogen atom. Influence of the position of nitrogen atom on the magnitude of the rotational barriers in these atropisomers is also studied. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.