8
A. SAGIRLI
of the FL emission peak were found to be increased with introduction of the electron-
donor moiety by –H, –CH3, and –Cl, respectively (Table 3). The isomer formation in
the case of the –CH3 and –Cl substitutions on benzimidazole for both samples having
p-CN and p-CF3 as an electron-accepting groups can be responsible for both of the new
peaks and the broadening at fwhm in the FL emission profile. When the Cl is posi-
tioned instead of CH3 moiety on the benzimidazole ring, it is observed that the intensity
of the newly appeared FL emission peak increases (i.e. 5i–6i). Also, this changing in
electron-donor position give rise to the broadening in fwhm of the FL emission profile.
These findings can be an indication of a change in the number of isomer molecules
in solution.
Experimental
General procedure for the synthesis of 5-substituted-2-(nitromethylene)-2,3-
dihydro-1H-benzo[d]imidazole (1)[24]
A mixture of 1,1-bis(methylthio)-2-nitroethylene (10 mmol, 1650 mg) and o-phenylene-
diamine derivatives (10 mmol) were refluxed in EtOH (25 ml) for 8–12 h. The reaction
progress was followed by TLC and upon completion, the precipitated solid was filtered,
and washed with cold EtOH (25 mL) to afford the title compound 1 in a pure state.
5-Methyl-2-(nitromethylene)-2,3-dihydro-1H-benzo[d]imidazole (1b)
Yield (72%) L.brown solid. mp 188 ꢀC decomp. IR (KBr): ꢀ ¼ 3294, (NH), 1615 (CN),
1
1581, 1498, 1429, 1325, 1159, 1127, 1035, 988, 802, 751 cmꢃ1. H NMR (400 MHz,
DMSO-d6) d 7.44 (s, 1H, NH), 7.32 (d, J ¼ 8.1 Hz, 1H), 7.24 (s, 1H), 7.03 (d, J ¼ 8.1 Hz,
1H), 6.79 (s, 1H, olefinic CH), 5.97 (s, 1H, NH), 2.34 (s, 3H, CH3). 13C NMR
(101 MHz, DMSO-d6) d d 147.68, 133.54, 131.26, 129.06, 125.28, 124.73, 112.48, 96.57,
21.61. HRMS (þAPCl-TOF) calcd for C9H10N3O2 [M þ H]þ 192.0773, found 192.0766.
General procedure for the synthesis of 1-amino-3-(4-substitutedphenyl)-
methylpyrido[1,2-a]benzimidazole-2-carbonitrile (5,6)
Aromatic aldehyde 2 (0.6 mmol) , heterocyclic enamines 1a–c (0.5 mmol) and malono-
nitrile 3 (0.6 mmol, 39.6 mg) were mixed in acetonitrile (15 mL) in a round-bottomed
flask, and the reaction mixture was stirred and heated for 30 min. Triethylamine
(0.75 mmol, 0.105 mL) was added and the reaction mixture was heated under reflux for
3 h. After completion of the reaction, solvent was removed by vacuum evaporation. The
resultant crude product was purified by column chromatography on silica gel eluted by
using a mixture of hexane:ethyl acetate as eluent to afford single product 5 and inseper-
able regiosomer mixture 5, 6 of new pyrido[1,2-a] benzimidazoles.
1-Amino-3-(4-cyanophenyl)benzo[4,5]imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-2-carbonitrile (5a)
Yield (72%, 111 mg) yellow solid. mp 313 ꢀC decomp. IR (KBr): ꢀ ¼3467, 3310 (NH2),
1
2202 (CN), 1654, 1624, 1593, 1509, 1408, 1251, 838, 722, 549 cmꢃ1. H NMR (400 MHz,