Effect of benzoannulation on tautomeric preferences of 4,6-di(pyridin-2-yl)cyclohexane-1,3-dione

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level show that 4,6-di(pyridin-2-yl)cyclohexane-1,3-dione is a labile compound. On the other hand, its dienolimine tautomer (4,6-di(pyridin-2-yl)cyclohaxa-1,3-diene-1,3-diol) seems stable enough to be present in vacuum. Alternatively the equilibriated species are (i) dienolimine and enolimine-enaminone ((6Z)-3-hydroxy-6-(pyridin-2(1H)-ylidene)-4-(pyridine-2-yl)cyclohex-3-enone) or (ii) dienolimine, enolimine-enaminone and dienaminone ((4Z,6Z)-4,6-di(pyridin-2(1H)-ylidene)cyclohexane-1,3-dione). Benzoannulation of the pyridine ring at position 5,6 was found to increase the contribution of the tautomers which contain the enaminone moiety. Energies of the transition states between the stable tautomers were also calculated in order to estimate activation energy of the proton transfer. Values of the geometry based harmonic oscillator model of aromaticity (HOMA) index and Laplacian of the electron density in the hydrogen bond critical point (based on quantum theory of atom in molecules) shows that the enaminone moiety in the tautomers studied are stabilized by stronger intramolecular hydrogen bond than this present in the enolimine moiety. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00894-013-1874-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.