Protonation of γ-Butyrolactone and γ-Butyrolactam.

Invited for this month's cover is the group of Andreas Kornath at the Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich (Germany). The cover picture shows the crystal structures of protonated γ-butyrolactone ([(CH2 )3 OCOH][AsF6 ]) and γ-butyrolactam ([(CH2 )3 NHCOH][AsF6 ]). Both salts were synthesized by reacting the neutral compounds in the superacidic system HF/AsF5 at low temperature. Interestingly, the X-ray structure analyses revealed not only structural parameters of the salts, but also the existent of C⋅⋅⋅F contacts in both species. Quantum chemical calculations were performed to investigate the nature of these contacts. Read the full text of their Full Paper at 10.1002/open.202000220.

Protonation of γ-Butyrolactone and γ-Butyrolactam.

γ-Butyrolactone and γ-butyrolactam were reacted in the superacidic systems XF/MF5 (X=H, D; M=As, Sb). Salts of the monoprotonated species of γ-butyrolactone were obtained in terms of [(CH2 )3 OCOH]+ [AsF6 ]- , [(CH2 )3 OCOH]+ [SbF6 ]- and [(CH2 )3 OCOD]+ [AsF6 ]- and the analogous lactam salts in terms of [(CH2 )3 NHCOH]+ [AsF6 ]- , [(CH2 )3 NHCOH]+ [SbF6 ]- and [(CH2 )3 NDCOD]+ [AsF6 ]- . The salts were characterized by low temperature Raman and infrared spectroscopy and for both protonated hexafluoridoarsenates, [(CH2 )3 OCOH]+ [AsF6 ]- and [(CH2 )3 NHCOH]+ [AsF6 ]- , single-crystal X-ray structure analyses were conducted. In addition to the experimental results, quantum chemical calculations were performed on the B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory. As in both crystal structures C⋅⋅⋅F contacts were observed, the nature of these contacts is discussed with Mapped Electrostatic Potential as a rate of strength.