The conformations of azacyclodeca-3,8-diyne (
4a) andits
N-methyl (
4b) and
N-isopropyl(
4c) derivativesas well as 1,6-diazacyclodeca-3,8-diyne (
5a) and its1,6-dimethyl (
5b), 1,6-diisopropyl (
5c),1,6-di-
tert-butyl (
5d),and 1,6-ditolyl (
5e) derivatives have been investigated bysingle-crystal X-ray diffraction, in solution by NMR andby theoretical methods. In the solid state,
4a,c and
5a-
e adopt a chair conformation with thesubstituents in thebis-axial positions. In solution
4 and
5show
G![](/images/entities/thermod.gif)
= 10.4 and 11.0 kcal/mol,respectively, for ring inversion. Trappingof
5c with HCl indicates the presence of bis-axial, axial,and equatorial conformations in solution. Theequilibriumbetween boat and chair conformations in
4 and
5is ascribed to much reduced
torsional strain between thepropargylichydrogens. The preference of the axial orientation of thesubstituents on the nitrogen atom(s) in
4 and
5 is interpretedin terms of the vicinal interactions of both the NR bond and the
lone pair with the adjacent CH and CC bonds,synaxial 1,3-interactions of both the NR bond and the
lonepair, and secondary interactions of CH/CC bonds ofthealkyl substituent with the endocyclic CH
2 groups as well aswith triple bonds (
back and
frontstrain).