Anion Binding Affinity: Acidity versus Conformational Effects

High-level quantum chemical calculations were used to elucidate the gas- and solution-phase conformational equilibria for a series of symmetrically substituted (thio)ureas, (thio)squaramides, and croconamides. Gas-phase calculations predict that the thermodynamic conformer of many of these anion receptors is not the dual-hydrogen-bond-facilitating anti–anti conformer as is commonly assumed. For N,N′-diaryl thiosquaramides and croconamides, the syn–syn conformer is typically the predominant conformer. Solution-phase calculations show that the anti–anti conformer is increasingly stabilized as the polarity of the solvent increases. However, the syn–syn conformer remains the lowest energy conformation for croconamides. These predictions are used to explain the acidity versus chloride binding affinity correlations recently reported for some of these compounds. The chloride binding constants for thioureas and croconamides are significantly lower than expected on the basis of their pKavalues, and this may be due in part to the need for these receptors to reorganize into the anti–anti conformer. Experimental NMR nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) measurements of an asymmetrically substituted squaramide and its thio analogue are consistent with the syn–syn conformation being predominant at 298 K. The conformational equilibria should therefore be an important consideration for the design and development of future anion receptors and organocatalysts.