Structural and dynamic aspects of hydrogen-bonded complexes and inclusion compounds containing α,ω-dicyanoalkanes and urea, investigated by solid-state 13C and 2H NMR techniques

Solid-state C-13 NMR and H-2 NMR techniques have been used to investigate structural and dynamic properties of the 1, 4-dicyanobutane/urea and 1, 5-dicyanopentane/urea 1:1 hydrogen-bonded complexes and the 1, 6-dicyanohexane/urea inclusion compound. The pure crystalline phase of urea has also been investigated. The C-13 NMR studies have focused on 1(3C) chemical shift anisotropy and second-order quadrupolar effects (arising from C-13-N-14 interaction) for the urea molecules and the cyano groups of the (x,a)-dicyanoalkanes. Parameters describing these interactions are derived and are discussed in relation to the known structural properties of these materials. Comparison of C-13 chemical shift anisotropies of the cyano carbons and rates of C-13 dipolar dephasing suggest that 1, 4-dicyanobutane and 1, 5-dicyanopentane are effectively static, whereas 1, 6-dicyanohexane has greater mobility. H-2 NMR line shape analysis for the 1, 4-dicyanobutane/urea-d(4) and 1, 5-diyanopentane/urea-d(4) complexes indicates that the only motion of the urea molecules that is effective on the H-2 NMR time scale is a rapid libration about the C=O bond over an angular range of about 26 degrees. For the 1, 6-dicyanohexane/urea-d(4) inclusion compound, the H-2 NMR line shape is consistent with a motion comprising 180 degrees jumps about the C=O bond at rates that are intermediate on the H-2 NMR time scale. In addition, rapid libration about the C=O bond also occurs over an angular range of about 20 degrees. The dynamic properties of the urea molecules in these materials are compared with those of urea molecules in other crystalline environments.