Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Substituted 2-Phenacylbenzoxazoles

1H and 13C NMR spectra of eleven 2-phenacylbenzoxazoles (ketimine form) show that their CDCl(3)-solutions contains also (Z)-2-(benzo[d]oxazol-2-yl)-1-phenylethenols (enolimine form). Intramolecular hydrogen bonding in the latter tautomer was found to be significantly weaker than that one in respective (Z)-2-(2-hydroxy-2-phenylvinyl)pyridines. Integrals of the 1H NMR signals were used to evaluate the molar ratio of the tautomers. Strong electron-donating substituents were found to stabilize the ketimine tautomer. pK(T) (negative logarithm of the equilibrium constant, K(T) = [ketimine]/[enolimine]) was found to be linearly dependent on the Hammett substituent constant σ. The results of the MP2 ab initio calculations reveal enolimine including an intramolecular OH…N hydrogen bond to be the most stable form both with electron-donor and electron-acceptor substituents. The stability of ketimines is an intermediate of those found for enolimines and enaminones i.e., (E)-2-(benzo[d]oxazol-2(3H)-ylidene)-1-phenylethanones. 13C CPMAS NMR spectral data reveal that in the crystalline state the ketimine tautomer is predominant in p-NMe(2) substituted congener. On the other hand, enolimine forms were detected there when the substituent has less electron-donating character or when it is an electron-acceptor by character.