Molecular Dipole Moment and Interaction Dipole Moment in 2-N-Substituted Amino-3(or 5)-methyl-4-nitropyridines and Their N-Oxides

The dipole moments of 2-alkylaminoand 2-alkylnitramino-3(or 5)-methyl-4-nitropyridines and their N-oxides have been measured, as well as calculated, using vectorial summation of the group moments and by ab initio method. The estimated interaction dipole moments, μint, have been discussed in terms of the electronic and steric effects and intramolecular hydrogen bonding. Introduction of the NHCH3 group to position 2 in 4-nitropyridine strengthens the conjugation between the nitro group and ring nitrogen. The lack of such strengthening in 4-nitropyridine-N-oxides is explained as being due to formation of intramolecular hydrogen bond between the N-oxide group and the hydrogen of alkylamino group. Introduction of the nitramino group does not lead to marked modification of the charge distribution in a molecule. This fact may be explained by much weaker electron-donating ability of this group in comparison with the alkylamino group.