Thermal solid-state Z/E isomerization of 2-alkylidene-4-oxothiazolidines: effects of non-covalent interactions

Abstract

Configurational isomerization of stereo-defined 5-substituted and unsubstituted 2-alkylidene-4-oxothiazolidines (1) in the solid state, giving the Z/E mixtures in various ratios, was investigated by 1H-NMR spectroscopy, X-ray powder crystallography and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The Z/E composition can be rationalized in terms of non-covalent interactions, involving intermolecular and intramolecular hydrogen bonding and directional non-bonded 1,5-type S×××O interactions. X-Ray powder crystallography, using selected crystalline (Z)-4-oxothiazolidine substrates, revealed transformation to the amorphous state during the irreversible Z®E process. A correlation between previous results on the Z/E isomerization in solution and now in the solid state was established.

Keywords

• 4-thiazolidinones
• solid-state isomerisation
• non-covalent interactions
• dynamic 1H-NMR spectroscopy