Enhanced anion binding of N-(Anilino)thioureas.: Contribution of the N-anilino -NH proton acidity

We report here that N-anilino-N'-phenythioureas in general function as a new family of thiourea-based efficient anion receptors superior to classical N-alkyl(aryl)thioureas, when the N-anilino -NH proton is acidic enough; that is, the N-phenyl substituent is not less electron-withdrawing than m-Cl. Changes due to anion binding in the absorption spectra of these N-anilinothioureas are much more substantial than those of N-alkyl(aryl)thioureas, and anion binding constants in MeCN, at 10(6)-10(7) mol(-1) L order of magnitude for AcO- for example, are much higher despite a similar acidity of the thioureido -NH protons. Crystal structure and H-1 NMR data show that the N-aniline chromophore is electronically decoupled from the thiourea anion binding site by the N-N bond, and an intramolecular hydrogen bond exists in MeCN but not in DMSO between the N-anilino -NH nitrogen atom and the other thioureido -NH proton. Conformation changes in the N-anilinothioureas upon anion binding were assumed to occur and lead to a much higher increment in the electron-donating ability in the N-aniline chromophore that the charge transfer (CT) is enhanced or switched on, compared to not switching on a CT in the case of N-phenylthioureas. The anion binding constant shows a stronger dependence on the N-phenyl substituent than on the N-phenyl substituent, opposite to that observed with N-benzamidothioureas, and the CT band position of the anion binding complex depends much more on the N-phenyl substituent than that of the anion binding complexes of N-benzamidothioureas. The implications of these findings for new anion-receptors design and thiourea-based organocatalysts development are discussed.