Journal of Physical Chemistry A, Vol.115, No.37, 10299-10308, 2011
Structure of 7-Azaindole center dot center dot center dot 2-Fluoropyridine Dimer in a Supersonic Jet: Competition between N-H center dot center dot center dot N and N-H center dot center dot center dot F Interactions
In the present work, we have investigated the structure of 7-azaindole center dot center dot center dot 2-fluoropyridine dimer in a supersonic jet by employing resonant two photon ionization (R2PI), IR-UV, and UV-UV double resonance spectroscopic techniques combined with quantum chemistry calculations. The R2PI spectrum of the dimer is recorded by electronic excitation of the 7-azaindole moiety, and a few low frequency intermolecular vibrations of the dimer are dearly observed in the spectrum. The electronic origin band of the dimer is red-shifted by 1278 cm(-1) from the S(1) <- S(o) origin band of 7-azaindole monomer. The presence of a single conformer of the dirtier is confirmed by IR-UV and UV-UV hole-burning spectroscopic techniques. RIDIR (Resonant ion dip infrared) spectrum of the dimer shows a red-shift of 265 cm(-1) in the N-H stretching frequency with respect to that of the 7-azaindole monomer. Two planar double hydrogen bonded cyclic structures of the dimer have been predicted from DFT calculations. Comparison of experimental and theoretical N-H stretching frequencies confirms that the observed dimer is stabilized by N-H center dot center dot center dot N and C-H center dot center dot center dot N hydrogen bonding interactions. The less stable conformer with N-H center dot center dot center dot F and C-H center dot center dot center dot N interactions are not observed in the experiment. The competition between N-H center dot center dot center dot N and N-H center dot center dot center dot F interactions in the two dimeric structures are discussed from natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. The current results demonstrate that fluorine makes a hydrogen bond of intermediate strength through cooperative interaction of another hydrogen bond (C-H center dot center dot center dot N) present in the dimer, although fluorine is believed to be very weak hydrogen bond acceptor.