Abstract
The title compound, C18H18Br2N2, is centrosymmetric with the mid-point of the central C—C bond of the butyl group located on an inversion center. The terminal benzene ring is approximately perpendicular to the central butyl plane [dihedral angle = 71.9 (8)°]. No hydrogen bonding or aromatic stacking is observed in the crystal.
Related literature
For applications of diimine-metal catalysts, see: Johnson et al. (1995 ▶); Killian et al. (1996 ▶); Popeney & Guan (2010 ▶); Popeney et al. (2011 ▶); Yuan et al. (2005 ▶). For a related structure, see: Zhang et al. (2013 ▶).
Experimental
Crystal data
C18H18Br2N2
M r = 422.16
Orthorhombic,
a = 13.625 (13) Å
b = 7.495 (7) Å
c = 17.029 (17) Å
V = 1739 (3) Å3
Z = 4
Mo Kα radiation
μ = 4.66 mm−1
T = 293 K
0.21 × 0.20 × 0.15 mm
Data collection
Bruker APEXII CCD diffractometer
Absorption correction: multi-scan (SADABS; Bruker, 2001 ▶) T min = 0.441, T max = 0.542
6368 measured reflections
1541 independent reflections
847 reflections with I > 2σ(I)
R int = 0.104
Refinement
R[F 2 > 2σ(F 2)] = 0.052
wR(F 2) = 0.113
S = 1.05
1541 reflections
103 parameters
H-atom parameters constrained
Δρmax = 0.70 e Å−3
Δρmin = −0.85 e Å−3
Data collection: APEX2 (Bruker, 2007 ▶); cell refinement: SAINT (Bruker, 2007 ▶); data reduction: SAINT; program(s) used to solve structure: SHELXTL (Sheldrick, 2008 ▶); program(s) used to refine structure: SHELXTL; molecular graphics: SHELXTL; software used to prepare material for publication: SHELXTL.
Supplementary Material
Crystal structure: contains datablock(s) I, global. DOI: 10.1107/S1600536812052087/xu5666sup1.cif
Structure factors: contains datablock(s) I. DOI: 10.1107/S1600536812052087/xu5666Isup2.hkl
Supplementary material file. DOI: 10.1107/S1600536812052087/xu5666Isup3.cml
Additional supplementary materials: crystallographic information; 3D view; checkCIF report
supplementary crystallographic information
Comment
There is a considerable interest in the development of new late transition metal catalysts for the polymerization of α-olefins since Brookhart discovered highly active α-diimine nickel catalysts (Johnson et al., 1995; Killian et al., 1996). It is well known that the ligand structure had significant influence on the product properties and polymerization activities (Popeney & Guan, 2010; Popeney et al., 2011; Yuan et al., 2005).
In this study, we designed and synthesized the title compound as a bidentate ligand, and its molecular structure was characterized by X-ray diffraction. In the solid state, the ligand exhibits a -1 symmetry. The single bond of 1,4-diazabutadiene fragment is (E)-configured. The dihedral angle between the benzene ring and 1,4-diazabutadiene plane is 71.9 (8)°, similar to that found in a related compound (Zhang et al., 2013). In the crystal packing, there is no hydrogen-bond between the molecules.
Experimental
Formic acid (0.5 ml) was added to a stirred solution of 2,3-butanedione (0.103 g, 1.2 mmol) and 4-bromo-2-methylaniline (0.447 g, 2.4 mmol) in methanol (25 ml). The mixture was refluxed for 24 h, then cooled and the precipitate was separated by filtration. The solid was recrystallized from dichloromethane/cyclohexane (v/v = 6:1), washed with cold ethanol and dried under vacuum to give the title ligand 0.37 g (87%). Anal. Calcd. for C18H18Br2N2: C, 51.21; H, 4.30; N, 6.64. Found: C, 51.18; H, 4.29; N, 6.68. Crystals suitable for X-ray structure determination were grown from a solution of the title compound in a mixture of cyclohexane/dichloromethane (1:4, v/v).
Refinement
All hydrogen atoms were placed in calculated positions with C—H distances of 0.93 and 0.96 Å for aryl and methyl type H-atoms. They were included in the refinement in a riding model approximation, respectively. The H-atoms were assigned Uiso = 1.2 times Ueq of the aryl C atoms and 1.5 times Ueq of the methyl C atoms.
Figures
Fig. 1.

Molecular structure of the title compound, using 30% probability level ellipsoids.
Crystal data
| C18H18Br2N2 | F(000) = 840 |
| Mr = 422.16 | Dx = 1.612 Mg m−3 |
| Orthorhombic, Pbca | Mo Kα radiation, λ = 0.71073 Å |
| Hall symbol: -P 2ac 2ab | Cell parameters from 951 reflections |
| a = 13.625 (13) Å | θ = 2.8–20.3° |
| b = 7.495 (7) Å | µ = 4.66 mm−1 |
| c = 17.029 (17) Å | T = 293 K |
| V = 1739 (3) Å3 | Block, yellow |
| Z = 4 | 0.21 × 0.20 × 0.15 mm |
Data collection
| Bruker APEXII CCD diffractometer | 1541 independent reflections |
| Radiation source: fine-focus sealed tube | 847 reflections with I > 2σ(I) |
| Graphite monochromator | Rint = 0.104 |
| φ and ω scans | θmax = 25.3°, θmin = 2.8° |
| Absorption correction: multi-scan (SADABS; Bruker, 2001) | h = −15→15 |
| Tmin = 0.441, Tmax = 0.542 | k = −9→5 |
| 6368 measured reflections | l = −20→18 |
Refinement
| Refinement on F2 | Secondary atom site location: difference Fourier map |
| Least-squares matrix: full | Hydrogen site location: inferred from neighbouring sites |
| R[F2 > 2σ(F2)] = 0.052 | H-atom parameters constrained |
| wR(F2) = 0.113 | w = 1/[σ2(Fo2) + (0.0106P)2 + 5.9013P] where P = (Fo2 + 2Fc2)/3 |
| S = 1.05 | (Δ/σ)max < 0.001 |
| 1541 reflections | Δρmax = 0.70 e Å−3 |
| 103 parameters | Δρmin = −0.85 e Å−3 |
| 0 restraints | Extinction correction: SHELXTL (Sheldrick, 2008), Fc*=kFc[1+0.001xFc2λ3/sin(2θ)]-1/4 |
| Primary atom site location: structure-invariant direct methods | Extinction coefficient: 0.0038 (5) |
Special details
| Geometry. All e.s.d.'s (except the e.s.d. in the dihedral angle between two l.s. planes) are estimated using the full covariance matrix. The cell e.s.d.'s are taken into account individually in the estimation of e.s.d.'s in distances, angles and torsion angles; correlations between e.s.d.'s in cell parameters are only used when they are defined by crystal symmetry. An approximate (isotropic) treatment of cell e.s.d.'s is used for estimating e.s.d.'s involving l.s. planes. |
| Refinement. Refinement of F2 against ALL reflections. The weighted R-factor wR and goodness of fit S are based on F2, conventional R-factors R are based on F, with F set to zero for negative F2. The threshold expression of F2 > σ(F2) is used only for calculating R-factors(gt) etc. and is not relevant to the choice of reflections for refinement. R-factors based on F2 are statistically about twice as large as those based on F, and R– factors based on ALL data will be even larger. |
Fractional atomic coordinates and isotropic or equivalent isotropic displacement parameters (Å2)
| x | y | z | Uiso*/Ueq | ||
| Br1 | 0.30195 (6) | 0.23158 (11) | 0.40014 (4) | 0.0631 (4) | |
| C1 | 0.4677 (5) | 0.4420 (8) | 0.2188 (4) | 0.0398 (17) | |
| H1 | 0.5330 | 0.4728 | 0.2107 | 0.048* | |
| C2 | 0.4386 (5) | 0.3772 (9) | 0.2914 (4) | 0.0444 (19) | |
| H2 | 0.4836 | 0.3653 | 0.3321 | 0.053* | |
| C3 | 0.3421 (5) | 0.3308 (8) | 0.3021 (4) | 0.0374 (17) | |
| C4 | 0.2742 (5) | 0.3508 (7) | 0.2429 (4) | 0.0341 (16) | |
| H4 | 0.2092 | 0.3188 | 0.2518 | 0.041* | |
| C5 | 0.3017 (5) | 0.4189 (7) | 0.1692 (3) | 0.0277 (14) | |
| C6 | 0.3998 (4) | 0.4617 (7) | 0.1574 (4) | 0.0299 (15) | |
| C7 | 0.4845 (4) | 0.4520 (8) | 0.0370 (4) | 0.0307 (15) | |
| C8 | 0.5198 (5) | 0.2627 (8) | 0.0474 (4) | 0.0451 (17) | |
| H8A | 0.4765 | 0.2006 | 0.0825 | 0.068* | |
| H8B | 0.5850 | 0.2636 | 0.0689 | 0.068* | |
| H8C | 0.5205 | 0.2035 | −0.0026 | 0.068* | |
| C9 | 0.2258 (4) | 0.4423 (8) | 0.1053 (4) | 0.0452 (18) | |
| H9A | 0.2541 | 0.5074 | 0.0623 | 0.068* | |
| H9B | 0.1706 | 0.5071 | 0.1257 | 0.068* | |
| H9C | 0.2045 | 0.3273 | 0.0872 | 0.068* | |
| N1 | 0.4299 (4) | 0.5380 (6) | 0.0839 (3) | 0.0331 (13) |
Atomic displacement parameters (Å2)
| U11 | U22 | U33 | U12 | U13 | U23 | |
| Br1 | 0.0619 (6) | 0.0768 (6) | 0.0505 (5) | 0.0068 (5) | 0.0143 (4) | 0.0208 (5) |
| C1 | 0.017 (4) | 0.044 (4) | 0.058 (5) | −0.003 (3) | 0.004 (3) | 0.006 (4) |
| C2 | 0.040 (5) | 0.048 (5) | 0.045 (4) | −0.005 (4) | −0.007 (3) | 0.004 (4) |
| C3 | 0.033 (4) | 0.031 (4) | 0.048 (4) | 0.001 (3) | 0.003 (4) | 0.000 (3) |
| C4 | 0.021 (4) | 0.030 (3) | 0.051 (4) | −0.001 (3) | 0.009 (3) | −0.002 (3) |
| C5 | 0.024 (4) | 0.019 (3) | 0.041 (4) | −0.001 (3) | 0.002 (3) | −0.001 (3) |
| C6 | 0.027 (4) | 0.021 (3) | 0.042 (4) | 0.001 (3) | 0.012 (3) | 0.000 (3) |
| C7 | 0.012 (3) | 0.028 (4) | 0.052 (4) | −0.005 (3) | 0.004 (3) | 0.008 (3) |
| C8 | 0.043 (4) | 0.033 (4) | 0.060 (4) | 0.012 (4) | 0.015 (4) | 0.012 (3) |
| C9 | 0.033 (5) | 0.043 (4) | 0.059 (5) | −0.002 (3) | 0.003 (4) | 0.003 (4) |
| N1 | 0.021 (3) | 0.030 (3) | 0.048 (4) | 0.000 (3) | 0.006 (3) | 0.006 (3) |
Geometric parameters (Å, º)
| Br1—C3 | 1.908 (7) | C6—N1 | 1.436 (7) |
| C1—C2 | 1.386 (9) | C7—N1 | 1.268 (7) |
| C1—C6 | 1.403 (8) | C7—C8 | 1.509 (8) |
| C1—H1 | 0.9300 | C7—C7i | 1.510 (11) |
| C2—C3 | 1.372 (9) | C8—H8A | 0.9600 |
| C2—H2 | 0.9300 | C8—H8B | 0.9600 |
| C3—C4 | 1.375 (9) | C8—H8C | 0.9600 |
| C4—C5 | 1.406 (8) | C9—H9A | 0.9600 |
| C4—H4 | 0.9300 | C9—H9B | 0.9600 |
| C5—C6 | 1.390 (8) | C9—H9C | 0.9600 |
| C5—C9 | 1.512 (8) | ||
| C2—C1—C6 | 120.8 (6) | C1—C6—N1 | 120.2 (5) |
| C2—C1—H1 | 119.6 | N1—C7—C8 | 126.2 (5) |
| C6—C1—H1 | 119.6 | N1—C7—C7i | 116.6 (7) |
| C3—C2—C1 | 118.8 (6) | C8—C7—C7i | 117.2 (7) |
| C3—C2—H2 | 120.6 | C7—C8—H8A | 109.5 |
| C1—C2—H2 | 120.6 | C7—C8—H8B | 109.5 |
| C2—C3—C4 | 121.3 (6) | H8A—C8—H8B | 109.5 |
| C2—C3—Br1 | 119.3 (5) | C7—C8—H8C | 109.5 |
| C4—C3—Br1 | 119.4 (5) | H8A—C8—H8C | 109.5 |
| C3—C4—C5 | 120.9 (6) | H8B—C8—H8C | 109.5 |
| C3—C4—H4 | 119.5 | C5—C9—H9A | 109.5 |
| C5—C4—H4 | 119.5 | C5—C9—H9B | 109.5 |
| C6—C5—C4 | 118.0 (6) | H9A—C9—H9B | 109.5 |
| C6—C5—C9 | 121.8 (6) | C5—C9—H9C | 109.5 |
| C4—C5—C9 | 120.2 (6) | H9A—C9—H9C | 109.5 |
| C5—C6—C1 | 120.1 (6) | H9B—C9—H9C | 109.5 |
| C5—C6—N1 | 119.5 (6) | C7—N1—C6 | 120.9 (5) |
| C6—C1—C2—C3 | 0.6 (10) | C4—C5—C6—N1 | −177.6 (5) |
| C1—C2—C3—C4 | −1.3 (10) | C9—C5—C6—N1 | 2.9 (8) |
| C1—C2—C3—Br1 | 177.3 (5) | C2—C1—C6—C5 | 1.1 (9) |
| C2—C3—C4—C5 | 0.3 (9) | C2—C1—C6—N1 | 176.6 (5) |
| Br1—C3—C4—C5 | −178.3 (4) | C8—C7—N1—C6 | 3.9 (10) |
| C3—C4—C5—C6 | 1.4 (8) | C7i—C7—N1—C6 | −177.3 (6) |
| C3—C4—C5—C9 | −179.2 (6) | C5—C6—N1—C7 | −112.5 (7) |
| C4—C5—C6—C1 | −2.0 (8) | C1—C6—N1—C7 | 71.9 (8) |
| C9—C5—C6—C1 | 178.5 (5) |
Symmetry code: (i) −x+1, −y+1, −z.
Footnotes
Supplementary data and figures for this paper are available from the IUCr electronic archives (Reference: XU5666).
References
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Associated Data
This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article.
Supplementary Materials
Crystal structure: contains datablock(s) I, global. DOI: 10.1107/S1600536812052087/xu5666sup1.cif
Structure factors: contains datablock(s) I. DOI: 10.1107/S1600536812052087/xu5666Isup2.hkl
Supplementary material file. DOI: 10.1107/S1600536812052087/xu5666Isup3.cml
Additional supplementary materials: crystallographic information; 3D view; checkCIF report
