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The structure and hydrogen bonding in solution of acetylacetone and benzoylacetone derived enaminone derivatives, 1a – 1d and 2a – 2d , have been studied by a combination of experimental (NMR and UV spectroscopies) and theoretical (PM6 and DFT) methods. It has been shown that all studied compounds predominantly existed in the localised keto-amine tautomeric form in solution as found also in the solid state. Significant line-broadening and down-field chemical shifts of NH and OH protons have strongly indicated that both groups formed hydrogen bonds, which has further been supported by quantum chemical calculations. Temperature and concentration dependent NMR measurements have pointed towards the fact that NH protons are engaged in strong intramolecular hydrogen bonds of the NH⋯O C type in both solvents. On the other hand, OH protons are involved in weaker intermolecular hydrogen bonding with solvent molecules in DMSO, while in chloroform intermolecular interactions between two molecules dominate. The results presented in this paper can be used for better understanding and further exploiting properties these ligands possess, especially their bioactivity.

The first two members of the p-phenylenevinylene- oligomer family (i. e. 1, 4-distyrylbenzene [DSB] and 4, 4'-distyrylstilbene [DSS]) were synthesized and their infrared and Raman spectra recorded and empirically assigned. Molecular geometries were optimized for the planar point group (C2h) by the density functional theory (DFT) method using the B3LYP functional and 6-31G* basis set. Calculations of vibrational spectra, including intensities, were carried out subsequently using the DFT method with the same basis set and linear scaling was applied. Calculated vibrational wavenumbers are in a fair agreement with our own experimental spectra. In order to explore changes in vibrational dynamics that are obtained with the extension of the chain, differences in potential energy distribution (PED) of normal modes are investigated and discussed. It was shown that B3LYP functional well describes the mentioned differences in infrared and Raman spectra and presents a sound basis for a more thorough research. The results are compared with those of trans-stilbene (tSB), a molecule structurally most closely related to the members of the p- phenylenevinylenes family.