Rotational spectroscopy of antipyretics: Conformation, structure, and internal dynamics of phenazone

The conformational and structural preferences of phenazone (antipyrine), the prototype of nonopioid pyrazolone antipyretics, have been probed in a supersonic jet expansion using rotational spectroscopy. The conformational landscape of the two-ring assembly was first explored computationally, but only a single conformer was predicted, with the N-phenyl and N-methyl groups on opposite sides of the pyrazolone ring. Consistently, the microwave spectrum evidenced a rotational signature arising from a single molecular structure. The spectrum exhibited very complicated fine and hyperfine patterns (not resolvable with any other spectroscopic technique) originated by the simultaneous coupling of the methyl group internal rotation and the spins of the two 14N nuclei with the overall rotation. The internal rotation tunnelling was ascribed to the C–CH3 group and the barrier height established experimentally (7.13(10) kJ mol−1). The internal rotation of the N–CH3 group has a lower limit of 9.4 kJ mol−1. The structure of the molecule was determined from the rotational parameters, with the phenyl group elevated ca. 25◦ with respect to the average plane of the pyrazolic moiety and a phenyl torsion of ca. 52◦. The origin of the conformational preferences is discussed in terms of the competition between intramolecular C–H· · ·N and C–H· · ·O weak hydrogen bonds.