J Chem Crystallogr (2009) 39:157–162
DOI 10.1007/s10870-008-9446-3
ORIGINAL PAPER
Structures of Three Chalcones Derived from
6-Methoxy-2-naphthaldehyde
Jerry P. Jasinski Æ Ray J. Butcher Æ
Anil N. Mayekar Æ H. S. Yathirajan Æ
B. Narayana
Received: 9 March 2008 / Accepted: 10 July 2008 / Published online: 25 July 2008
ꢀ Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2008
Abstract In the molecular structures of three new
structurally related chalcone derivatives, namely (2E)-1-(2-
hydroxyphenyl)-3-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)prop-2-en-1-one,
C20H16O3, I, (2E)-1-(2-chloropyridin-4-yl)-3-(6-methoxy-
2-naphthyl)prop-2-en-1-one, C19H14ClNO2, II, and (2E)-3-
(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)-1-pyridin-4-ylprop-2-en-1-one,
III, C19H15NO2, the configuration of the keto group is syn
with respect to the olefinic double bond. In all three struc-
tures the molecules pack with weak intermolecular C–HÁÁÁO
interactions utilizing both the methoxy and keto oxygen’s in
I, the methoxy oxygen in II and the keto oxygen in III. These
interactions link the molecules into chains diagonally along
the (011) plane of the unit cell in I and III and along the (010)
plane in II. The dihedral angle between the phenyl and
2-napthyl rings in I is 31.7(3)ꢁ. In II and III the dihedral
angle between the pyridyl and 2-naphthyl rings is 14.4(9)ꢁ
and 1.8(9)ꢁ, respectively. C–HÁÁÁO hydrogen bonding inter-
actions influence these twist angles of these rings in I–III
while weak p–p stacking interactions between naphthyl
rings in I and III and also between pyridyl and naphthyl rings
in II help stabilize crystal packing. [I: P21/c, a = 7.6635(4)
˚
˚
˚
A, b = 11.8047(6) A, c = 16.7584(7) A, b = 99.271(5)ꢁ,
3
V = 1496.25(13) A ; II: Pbca, a = 14.1424(4) A, b =
3
6.0957(2) A, c = 33.1458(11) A, V = 2857.43(16) A ; III:
˚
˚
˚
˚
˚
˚
P21/c, a = 11.5155(4) A, b = 6.0020(2) A, c = 22.4645(8)
˚
3
˚
˚
A, b = 103.002(4)ꢁ, V = 1512.85(9) A ].
Keywords Chalcones Á Crystal structure Á
Hydrogen bonds Á Naphthyl Á Pyridyl Á Phenyl Á
Syn Á Trans
Introduction
The present investigation is a continuation of our broad
programme work on the synthesis and structural study of
chalcones and its derivatives and to understand the geo-
metrical features and the underlying intermolecular
interactions which hold the assembly of molecules in the
crystalline lattice. Chalcones exhibit various biological
activities like insecticidal, antimicrobial, antichorniviral,
antipicorniviral and bacteriostatic properties. Azachal-
cones, the derivatives of chalcones with an annular nitrogen
atom in the phenyl ring, were reported to have a wide range
of biological activities, such as antibacterial, antitubercu-
lostatic and anti-inflammatory. The 4-azachalcones and
their N-alkyl derivatives were reported to be the most potent
of the chalcone series as inhibitors of myeloperoxidase
release from rat polymorphonuclear leukocytes and
microtubule polymerization inhibitors which bind to the
colchicines-binding site of microtubules [1–5]. We report
here the crystal structures of three chalcones derived from
6-methoxy-2-naphthaldehyde, namely, (2E)-1-(2-hydroxy-
phenyl)-3-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)prop-2-en-1-one, C20H16O3,
J. P. Jasinski (&)
Department of Chemistry, Keene State College, 229 Main Street,
Keene, NH 03435-2001, USA
e-mail: jjasinski@keene.edu
R. J. Butcher
Department of Chemistry, Howard University,
525 College Street NW, Washington, DC 20059, USA
A. N. Mayekar Á H. S. Yathirajan
Department of Studies in Chemistry, University of Mysore,
Manasagangotri, Mysore 570 006, India
B. Narayana
Department of Studies in Chemistry, Mangalore University,
Mangalagngotri, Mangalore 574 199, India
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