Photodegradation of dimethoxy curcuminoids in acetonitrile solution was found to depend on the position of the methoxy group bonded to the phenyl ring. The rate of decomposition was expressed as the ...lifetime of the decomposing substrate, being the shortest in the case of the 3,5-dimethoxy and the longest for the 2,5-dimethoxy derivative. For the 3,5-dimethoxy curcuminoid, the major degradation products were 3,5-dimethoxy benzaldehyde, 3,5-dimethoxybenzoic acid and the Z and E isomers of dimethoxy cinnamic acid, together forming about 90% of the reaction mixture. Minor products found were 4,5-bis(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)hex-2-endionic acid, and products with the molecular formula C23H24O6 and C23H22O6 attributed to the reaction of intramolecular 2+2 cycloaddition of the dimethoxy curcuminoid and the dioxygenated bicyclopentadione derivative (C23H24O8) derived from autoxidative transformation of the dimethoxy curcuminoid.
Background
Several papers described the structure of curcumin and some other derivatives in solid and in solution. In the crystal structure of curcumin, the enol H atom is located symmetrically ...between both oxygen atoms of the enolone fragment with an O···O distance of 2.455 Å, which is characteristic for symmetrical H-bonds. In the solution, the geometry of the enolone fragment is attributed to the inherent disorder of the local environment, which solvates one of the basic sites better than the other, stabilizing one tautomer over the other. In this paper, how the position of methoxy groups in dimethoxy curcuminoids influence the conformation of molecules and how the halogen atoms change it when they are bonded at α-position in keto-enol part of molecules is described.
Results
Six isomers of dimethoxy curcuminoids were prepared. Conformations in solid state, which were determined by X-ray single crystallography and
1
H MAS and
13
C CPMAS NMR measurements, depend on the position of methoxy groups in curcuminoid molecules. In solution, a fast equilibrium between both keto-enol forms exists. A theoretical calculation finding shows that the position of methoxy groups changes the energy of HOMO and LUMO. An efficient protocol for the highly regioselective bromination and chlorination leading to α-halogenated product has been developed. All α-halogenated compounds are present mainly in
cis
keto-enol form.
Conclusions
The structures in solid state of dimethoxy curcuminoids depend on the position of methoxy groups. The NMR data of crystalline solid samples of 3,4-diOCH
3
derivative, XRD measurements and X-ray structures lead us to the conclusion that polymorphism exists in solids. The same conclusion can be done for 3,5-diOCH
3
derivative. In solution, dimethoxy curcuminoids are present in the forms that can be described as the coexistence of two equivalent tautomers being in fast equilibrium. The position of methoxy groups has a small influence on the enolic hydrogen bond. Theoretical calculations show that the energy gap between HOMO and LUMO depend on the position of methoxy groups and are lower in solution. Chlorination and bromination on α-position of 1,3-diketone moiety do not change the preferential form being cis keto-enol as in parent compounds.
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