organic compounds
4-Methoxy-N-(4-nitrobenzyl)aniline
aX-ray Crystallography Laboratory, Post-Graduate Department of Physics & Electronics, University of Jammu, Jammu Tawi 180 006, India, and bSchool of Biology & Chemistry, College of Sciences, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra 182 320 (J&K), India
*Correspondence e-mail: rkvk.paper11@gmail.com
In the title compound, C14H14N2O3, the nitro group is nearly coplanar with the benzene ring to which it is bonded [dihedral angle = 1.70 (2)°], and this ring is para-substituted by the aminomethylene group. The dihedral angle between the benzene rings is 57.8 (1)°. The is stabilized by N—H⋯O and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds and weak C—H⋯π interactions are also observed.
Related literature
For related structures, see: Iwasaki et al. (1988). For the biological properties of see: Rjosk & Neumann (1971); Hillesheim et al. (1995). For bond-length data, see: Allen et al. (1987).
Experimental
Crystal data
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Refinement
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Data collection: CrysAlis PRO (Oxford Diffraction, 2010); cell CrysAlis PRO; data reduction: CrysAlis RED (Oxford Diffraction, 2010); program(s) used to solve structure: SHELXS97 (Sheldrick, 2008); program(s) used to refine structure: SHELXL97 (Sheldrick, 2008); molecular graphics: ORTEP-3 (Farrugia, 1997); software used to prepare material for publication: PLATON (Spek, 2009).
Supporting information
10.1107/S160053681200846X/bh2415sup1.cif
contains datablocks I, global. DOI:Structure factors: contains datablock I. DOI: 10.1107/S160053681200846X/bh2415Isup2.hkl
Supporting information file. DOI: 10.1107/S160053681200846X/bh2415Isup3.cml
To a stirred solution of p-nitro-benzaldehyde (0.5 g, 3.3 mmol) in MeOH (10 ml) was added p-anisidine (0.41 g, 3.3 mmol) at room temperature and the mixture was refluxed for 4 h. The resulting reaction mixture was cooled to 273 K, which resulted in the precipitation of the corresponding aldimine intermediate. Few drops of AcOH were added, followed by NaBH4 (0.09 g, 2.5 mmol), at the same temperature. The combined reaction mixture was stirred additionally for 2 h and quenched with sat. NaHCO3 solution, extracted with EtOAc (2×15 ml), and concentrated under reduced pressure. The resulting crude amine compound was crystallized in hexane/EtOAc (2:1), to afford the title compound with 92% yield. 1H-NMR: 3.68 (s, 3H), 4.38 (s, 2H), 6.40 (d, 2H), 6.72 (d, 2H), 7.65 (d, 2H), 8.10 (d, 2H).
Hydrogen atom H8 was found in a difference map and refined isotropically. All other H atoms were positioned geometrically and were treated as riding on their parent C atoms, with C—H distances of 0.93–0.97 Å and with Uiso(H) = 1.2Ueq(C) or 1.5Ueq(methyl C).
In continuation of our project on the preparation of various
from p-anisidine and aromatic in refluxing methanol, the title compound has been prepared using the reductive amination method. In undergoing further applications of in various reactions (Rjosk & Neumann, 1971; Hillesheim et al., 1995), we observed that undergo a reductive amination with NaBH4 in presence of catalytic amounts of AcOH in MeOH, to afford 4-methoxy-N-(4-nitrobenzyl)aniline as one of the products. We further tried to prepare this compound under similar conditions in a separate flask, and the title compound was obtained in high yield (> 90%) through reductive amination of p-nitrobenzaldehyde with p-anisidine.The bond lengths in the molecule are within normal ranges (Allen et al., 1987) and comparable with those found in related molecules (Iwasaki et al., 1988). The nitro group is nearly coplanar to the benzene ring to which it is bonded, the dihedral angle being 1.70 (2)°. The 4-methoxy phenyl group is trans to the 4-nitro phenyl group about the C7—N8 bond. The torsion angle C1—C7—N8—C9 is 178.22 (17)°. Hydrogen H8 on atom N8 forms an intermolecular hydrogen bond with the nitro O atom O1 of a neighbouring centrosymmetrically related molecule. This interaction links the molecules into N—H···O hydrogen bonded dimers. Dimers are connected via C—H···O hydrogen bonds and form chains along the c-axis of the π interactions (Cg1 is the centroid of the nitro-phenyl ring and Cg2 is the centroid of the methoxy-phenyl ring, Table 1) play important role in stabilizing the crystal structure.
(Table 1, Fig. 2). On the other hand, C—H···For related structures, see: Iwasaki et al. (1988). For the biological properties of
see: Rjosk & Neumann (1971); Hillesheim et al. (1995). For bond-length data, see: Allen et al. (1987).Data collection: CrysAlis PRO (Oxford Diffraction, 2010); cell
CrysAlis PRO (Oxford Diffraction, 2010); data reduction: CrysAlis RED (Oxford Diffraction, 2010); program(s) used to solve structure: SHELXS97 (Sheldrick, 2008); program(s) used to refine structure: SHELXL97 (Sheldrick, 2008); molecular graphics: ORTEP-3 (Farrugia, 1997); software used to prepare material for publication: PLATON (Spek, 2009).Fig. 1. ORTEP view of the molecule with thermal ellipsoids drawn at the 40% probability level. H atoms are shown as small spheres of arbitrary radii. | |
Fig. 2. The packing arrangement of molecules viewed down the a axis. The broken lines show the intermolecular N—H···O and C—H···O hydrogen bonds. |
C14H14N2O3 | F(000) = 544 |
Mr = 258.27 | Dx = 1.343 Mg m−3 |
Monoclinic, P21/n | Mo Kα radiation, λ = 0.71073 Å |
Hall symbol: -P 2yn | Cell parameters from 4747 reflections |
a = 7.4993 (3) Å | θ = 3.6–29.0° |
b = 17.1516 (7) Å | µ = 0.10 mm−1 |
c = 10.0048 (5) Å | T = 293 K |
β = 96.861 (4)° | Block, red |
V = 1277.65 (10) Å3 | 0.3 × 0.2 × 0.1 mm |
Z = 4 |
Oxford Diffraction Xcalibur Sapphire3 diffractometer | 2511 independent reflections |
Radiation source: fine-focus sealed tube | 1692 reflections with I > 2σ(I) |
Graphite monochromator | Rint = 0.035 |
Detector resolution: 16.1049 pixels mm-1 | θmax = 26.0°, θmin = 3.6° |
ω scans | h = −9→9 |
Absorption correction: multi-scan (CrysAlis RED; Oxford Diffraction, 2010) | k = −21→21 |
Tmin = 0.955, Tmax = 1.000 | l = −12→12 |
11435 measured reflections |
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)] = 0.048 | H atoms treated by a mixture of independent and constrained refinement |
wR(F2) = 0.130 | w = 1/[σ2(Fo2) + (0.0514P)2 + 0.2077P] where P = (Fo2 + 2Fc2)/3 |
S = 1.05 | (Δ/σ)max < 0.001 |
2511 reflections | Δρmax = 0.18 e Å−3 |
178 parameters | Δρmin = −0.15 e Å−3 |
0 restraints | Extinction correction: SHELXL97 (Sheldrick, 2008), Fc*=kFc[1+0.001xFc2λ3/sin(2θ)]-1/4 |
0 constraints | Extinction coefficient: 0.0116 (18) |
Primary atom site location: structure-invariant direct methods |
C14H14N2O3 | V = 1277.65 (10) Å3 |
Mr = 258.27 | Z = 4 |
Monoclinic, P21/n | Mo Kα radiation |
a = 7.4993 (3) Å | µ = 0.10 mm−1 |
b = 17.1516 (7) Å | T = 293 K |
c = 10.0048 (5) Å | 0.3 × 0.2 × 0.1 mm |
β = 96.861 (4)° |
Oxford Diffraction Xcalibur Sapphire3 diffractometer | 2511 independent reflections |
Absorption correction: multi-scan (CrysAlis RED; Oxford Diffraction, 2010) | 1692 reflections with I > 2σ(I) |
Tmin = 0.955, Tmax = 1.000 | Rint = 0.035 |
11435 measured reflections |
R[F2 > 2σ(F2)] = 0.048 | 0 restraints |
wR(F2) = 0.130 | H atoms treated by a mixture of independent and constrained refinement |
S = 1.05 | Δρmax = 0.18 e Å−3 |
2511 reflections | Δρmin = −0.15 e Å−3 |
178 parameters |
x | y | z | Uiso*/Ueq | ||
O1 | −0.2703 (2) | 0.01096 (11) | 0.2223 (2) | 0.0948 (6) | |
O2 | −0.3470 (3) | 0.12998 (13) | 0.2161 (3) | 0.1390 (10) | |
N1 | −0.2400 (2) | 0.07908 (13) | 0.24933 (19) | 0.0695 (5) | |
C1 | 0.2618 (2) | 0.14226 (11) | 0.45527 (19) | 0.0499 (5) | |
C2 | 0.2220 (3) | 0.06469 (12) | 0.4248 (2) | 0.0581 (5) | |
H2 | 0.3072 | 0.0265 | 0.4505 | 0.070* | |
C3 | 0.0581 (3) | 0.04336 (11) | 0.3571 (2) | 0.0550 (5) | |
H3 | 0.0320 | −0.0086 | 0.3367 | 0.066* | |
C4 | −0.0654 (2) | 0.10088 (11) | 0.32049 (18) | 0.0491 (5) | |
C5 | −0.0304 (3) | 0.17839 (12) | 0.3476 (2) | 0.0563 (5) | |
H5 | −0.1155 | 0.2165 | 0.3210 | 0.068* | |
C6 | 0.1338 (3) | 0.19793 (11) | 0.4152 (2) | 0.0547 (5) | |
H6 | 0.1593 | 0.2501 | 0.4344 | 0.066* | |
C7 | 0.4411 (3) | 0.16668 (12) | 0.5260 (2) | 0.0636 (6) | |
H7A | 0.5284 | 0.1668 | 0.4619 | 0.076* | |
H7B | 0.4319 | 0.2195 | 0.5592 | 0.076* | |
N8 | 0.5039 (2) | 0.11659 (10) | 0.63639 (18) | 0.0597 (5) | |
C9 | 0.6719 (2) | 0.13024 (10) | 0.71064 (19) | 0.0464 (5) | |
C10 | 0.7998 (2) | 0.17809 (11) | 0.66267 (19) | 0.0511 (5) | |
H10 | 0.7719 | 0.2042 | 0.5814 | 0.061* | |
C11 | 0.9671 (3) | 0.18720 (11) | 0.73402 (19) | 0.0531 (5) | |
H11 | 1.0507 | 0.2194 | 0.7000 | 0.064* | |
C12 | 1.0133 (2) | 0.14945 (10) | 0.85483 (19) | 0.0485 (5) | |
C13 | 0.8871 (3) | 0.10262 (10) | 0.90428 (19) | 0.0510 (5) | |
H13 | 0.9152 | 0.0772 | 0.9863 | 0.061* | |
C14 | 0.7188 (2) | 0.09308 (10) | 0.83278 (19) | 0.0505 (5) | |
H14 | 0.6354 | 0.0610 | 0.8674 | 0.061* | |
O15 | 1.18447 (17) | 0.16348 (8) | 0.91664 (14) | 0.0652 (4) | |
C16 | 1.2455 (3) | 0.12020 (13) | 1.0336 (2) | 0.0724 (7) | |
H16A | 1.1723 | 0.1321 | 1.1034 | 0.109* | |
H16B | 1.3681 | 0.1337 | 1.0633 | 0.109* | |
H16C | 1.2375 | 0.0655 | 1.0135 | 0.109* | |
H8 | 0.421 (3) | 0.0966 (13) | 0.683 (2) | 0.072 (7)* |
U11 | U22 | U33 | U12 | U13 | U23 | |
O1 | 0.0735 (11) | 0.0908 (13) | 0.1143 (15) | −0.0263 (10) | −0.0125 (10) | −0.0124 (11) |
O2 | 0.0739 (12) | 0.1245 (17) | 0.199 (3) | 0.0363 (13) | −0.0627 (14) | −0.0507 (16) |
N1 | 0.0484 (10) | 0.0889 (14) | 0.0686 (12) | 0.0022 (11) | −0.0032 (9) | −0.0163 (11) |
C1 | 0.0495 (11) | 0.0541 (11) | 0.0451 (11) | −0.0046 (9) | 0.0008 (8) | 0.0047 (8) |
C2 | 0.0502 (11) | 0.0527 (11) | 0.0680 (14) | 0.0079 (9) | −0.0063 (9) | 0.0017 (10) |
C3 | 0.0534 (11) | 0.0500 (11) | 0.0604 (13) | −0.0011 (9) | 0.0020 (9) | −0.0047 (9) |
C4 | 0.0407 (10) | 0.0625 (12) | 0.0435 (11) | 0.0003 (9) | 0.0030 (8) | −0.0043 (9) |
C5 | 0.0539 (12) | 0.0570 (12) | 0.0570 (12) | 0.0117 (10) | 0.0021 (9) | 0.0001 (10) |
C6 | 0.0603 (12) | 0.0471 (11) | 0.0557 (12) | −0.0016 (9) | 0.0029 (9) | 0.0009 (9) |
C7 | 0.0614 (13) | 0.0599 (12) | 0.0648 (14) | −0.0114 (10) | −0.0119 (10) | 0.0118 (10) |
N8 | 0.0488 (10) | 0.0669 (11) | 0.0601 (11) | −0.0124 (9) | −0.0074 (8) | 0.0165 (9) |
C9 | 0.0459 (10) | 0.0408 (9) | 0.0505 (11) | −0.0027 (8) | −0.0026 (8) | 0.0000 (8) |
C10 | 0.0549 (11) | 0.0525 (11) | 0.0442 (11) | −0.0055 (9) | −0.0011 (9) | 0.0067 (9) |
C11 | 0.0520 (11) | 0.0520 (11) | 0.0545 (12) | −0.0124 (9) | 0.0033 (9) | 0.0048 (9) |
C12 | 0.0470 (10) | 0.0426 (10) | 0.0533 (12) | −0.0028 (8) | −0.0044 (9) | −0.0038 (8) |
C13 | 0.0582 (12) | 0.0454 (10) | 0.0473 (11) | −0.0010 (9) | −0.0020 (9) | 0.0067 (8) |
C14 | 0.0503 (11) | 0.0457 (10) | 0.0544 (12) | −0.0075 (9) | 0.0017 (9) | 0.0081 (9) |
O15 | 0.0553 (8) | 0.0660 (9) | 0.0688 (10) | −0.0128 (7) | −0.0150 (7) | 0.0086 (7) |
C16 | 0.0653 (13) | 0.0741 (14) | 0.0711 (15) | −0.0024 (12) | −0.0196 (11) | 0.0062 (12) |
O1—N1 | 1.214 (2) | N8—C9 | 1.404 (2) |
O2—N1 | 1.206 (2) | N8—H8 | 0.89 (2) |
N1—C4 | 1.462 (2) | C9—C14 | 1.386 (2) |
C1—C6 | 1.379 (3) | C9—C10 | 1.390 (3) |
C1—C2 | 1.389 (3) | C10—C11 | 1.377 (2) |
C1—C7 | 1.502 (2) | C10—H10 | 0.9300 |
C2—C3 | 1.380 (3) | C11—C12 | 1.378 (3) |
C2—H2 | 0.9300 | C11—H11 | 0.9300 |
C3—C4 | 1.373 (3) | C12—C13 | 1.378 (3) |
C3—H3 | 0.9300 | C12—O15 | 1.378 (2) |
C4—C5 | 1.376 (3) | C13—C14 | 1.384 (2) |
C5—C6 | 1.373 (3) | C13—H13 | 0.9300 |
C5—H5 | 0.9300 | C14—H14 | 0.9300 |
C6—H6 | 0.9300 | O15—C16 | 1.415 (2) |
C7—N8 | 1.433 (2) | C16—H16A | 0.9600 |
C7—H7A | 0.9700 | C16—H16B | 0.9600 |
C7—H7B | 0.9700 | C16—H16C | 0.9600 |
O2—N1—O1 | 122.31 (19) | C9—N8—H8 | 115.1 (14) |
O2—N1—C4 | 118.5 (2) | C7—N8—H8 | 116.8 (14) |
O1—N1—C4 | 119.17 (19) | C14—C9—C10 | 117.59 (16) |
C6—C1—C2 | 118.38 (17) | C14—C9—N8 | 120.47 (16) |
C6—C1—C7 | 119.78 (18) | C10—C9—N8 | 121.88 (17) |
C2—C1—C7 | 121.81 (17) | C11—C10—C9 | 120.77 (17) |
C3—C2—C1 | 121.14 (18) | C11—C10—H10 | 119.6 |
C3—C2—H2 | 119.4 | C9—C10—H10 | 119.6 |
C1—C2—H2 | 119.4 | C10—C11—C12 | 121.28 (17) |
C4—C3—C2 | 118.24 (18) | C10—C11—H11 | 119.4 |
C4—C3—H3 | 120.9 | C12—C11—H11 | 119.4 |
C2—C3—H3 | 120.9 | C13—C12—O15 | 125.72 (17) |
C3—C4—C5 | 122.36 (17) | C13—C12—C11 | 118.53 (16) |
C3—C4—N1 | 118.84 (18) | O15—C12—C11 | 115.75 (16) |
C5—C4—N1 | 118.80 (18) | C12—C13—C14 | 120.43 (17) |
C6—C5—C4 | 118.15 (18) | C12—C13—H13 | 119.8 |
C6—C5—H5 | 120.9 | C14—C13—H13 | 119.8 |
C4—C5—H5 | 120.9 | C13—C14—C9 | 121.41 (17) |
C5—C6—C1 | 121.73 (18) | C13—C14—H14 | 119.3 |
C5—C6—H6 | 119.1 | C9—C14—H14 | 119.3 |
C1—C6—H6 | 119.1 | C12—O15—C16 | 118.13 (15) |
N8—C7—C1 | 112.89 (16) | O15—C16—H16A | 109.5 |
N8—C7—H7A | 109.0 | O15—C16—H16B | 109.5 |
C1—C7—H7A | 109.0 | H16A—C16—H16B | 109.5 |
N8—C7—H7B | 109.0 | O15—C16—H16C | 109.5 |
C1—C7—H7B | 109.0 | H16A—C16—H16C | 109.5 |
H7A—C7—H7B | 107.8 | H16B—C16—H16C | 109.5 |
C9—N8—C7 | 119.94 (16) | ||
C6—C1—C2—C3 | −0.5 (3) | C1—C7—N8—C9 | 178.22 (17) |
C7—C1—C2—C3 | −178.52 (19) | C7—N8—C9—C14 | 166.83 (19) |
C1—C2—C3—C4 | −0.1 (3) | C7—N8—C9—C10 | −16.1 (3) |
C2—C3—C4—C5 | 0.8 (3) | C14—C9—C10—C11 | 0.7 (3) |
C2—C3—C4—N1 | −179.66 (18) | N8—C9—C10—C11 | −176.45 (18) |
O2—N1—C4—C3 | −179.1 (2) | C9—C10—C11—C12 | −0.1 (3) |
O1—N1—C4—C3 | −1.3 (3) | C10—C11—C12—C13 | −0.7 (3) |
O2—N1—C4—C5 | 0.5 (3) | C10—C11—C12—O15 | −179.83 (17) |
O1—N1—C4—C5 | 178.3 (2) | O15—C12—C13—C14 | 179.92 (17) |
C3—C4—C5—C6 | −0.8 (3) | C11—C12—C13—C14 | 0.9 (3) |
N1—C4—C5—C6 | 179.63 (17) | C12—C13—C14—C9 | −0.3 (3) |
C4—C5—C6—C1 | 0.1 (3) | C10—C9—C14—C13 | −0.5 (3) |
C2—C1—C6—C5 | 0.5 (3) | N8—C9—C14—C13 | 176.68 (17) |
C7—C1—C6—C5 | 178.53 (18) | C13—C12—O15—C16 | 7.4 (3) |
C6—C1—C7—N8 | 138.5 (2) | C11—C12—O15—C16 | −173.61 (18) |
C2—C1—C7—N8 | −43.5 (3) |
Cg1 and Cg2 are the centroids of the nitrophenyl (C1–C6) and methoxyphenyl (C9–C14) rings, respectively. |
D—H···A | D—H | H···A | D···A | D—H···A |
N8—H8···O1i | 0.89 (2) | 2.42 (3) | 3.231 (2) | 152.8 (19) |
C16—H16B···O2ii | 0.96 | 2.47 | 3.372 (3) | 155 |
C3—H3···Cg2iii | 0.93 | 2.77 | 3.560 (2) | 143 |
C6—H6···Cg2iv | 0.93 | 2.87 | 3.524 (2) | 129 |
C16—H16A···Cg1v | 0.96 | 2.96 | 3.830 (2) | 151 |
Symmetry codes: (i) −x, −y, −z+1; (ii) x+2, y, z+1; (iii) −x, −y+1, −z; (iv) x−1/2, −y+1/2, z−1/2; (v) x+1, y, z+1. |
Experimental details
Crystal data | |
Chemical formula | C14H14N2O3 |
Mr | 258.27 |
Crystal system, space group | Monoclinic, P21/n |
Temperature (K) | 293 |
a, b, c (Å) | 7.4993 (3), 17.1516 (7), 10.0048 (5) |
β (°) | 96.861 (4) |
V (Å3) | 1277.65 (10) |
Z | 4 |
Radiation type | Mo Kα |
µ (mm−1) | 0.10 |
Crystal size (mm) | 0.3 × 0.2 × 0.1 |
Data collection | |
Diffractometer | Oxford Diffraction Xcalibur Sapphire3 |
Absorption correction | Multi-scan (CrysAlis RED; Oxford Diffraction, 2010) |
Tmin, Tmax | 0.955, 1.000 |
No. of measured, independent and observed [I > 2σ(I)] reflections | 11435, 2511, 1692 |
Rint | 0.035 |
(sin θ/λ)max (Å−1) | 0.617 |
Refinement | |
R[F2 > 2σ(F2)], wR(F2), S | 0.048, 0.130, 1.05 |
No. of reflections | 2511 |
No. of parameters | 178 |
H-atom treatment | H atoms treated by a mixture of independent and constrained refinement |
Δρmax, Δρmin (e Å−3) | 0.18, −0.15 |
Computer programs: CrysAlis PRO (Oxford Diffraction, 2010), CrysAlis RED (Oxford Diffraction, 2010), SHELXS97 (Sheldrick, 2008), SHELXL97 (Sheldrick, 2008), ORTEP-3 (Farrugia, 1997), PLATON (Spek, 2009).
Cg1 and Cg2 are the centroids of the nitrophenyl (C1–C6) and methoxyphenyl (C9–C14) rings, respectively. |
D—H···A | D—H | H···A | D···A | D—H···A |
N8—H8···O1i | 0.89 (2) | 2.42 (3) | 3.231 (2) | 152.8 (19) |
C16—H16B···O2ii | 0.96 | 2.47 | 3.372 (3) | 155 |
C3—H3···Cg2iii | 0.93 | 2.77 | 3.560 (2) | 143.32 |
C6—H6···Cg2iv | 0.93 | 2.87 | 3.524 (2) | 128.46 |
C16—H16A···Cg1v | 0.96 | 2.96 | 3.830 (2) | 150.91 |
Symmetry codes: (i) −x, −y, −z+1; (ii) x+2, y, z+1; (iii) −x, −y+1, −z; (iv) x−1/2, −y+1/2, z−1/2; (v) x+1, y, z+1. |
Acknowledgements
RK acknowledges the Department of Science & Technology for the single-crystal X-ray diffractometer sanctioned as a National Facility under project No. SR/S2/CMP-47/2003. He is also thankful to the University of Jammu (India) for financial support.
References
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Spek, A. L. (2009). Acta Cryst. D65, 148–155. Web of Science CrossRef CAS IUCr Journals Google Scholar
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In continuation of our project on the preparation of various aldimines from p-anisidine and aromatic aldehydes in refluxing methanol, the title compound has been prepared using the reductive amination method. In undergoing further applications of aldimines in various cycloaddition reactions (Rjosk & Neumann, 1971; Hillesheim et al., 1995), we observed that aldimines undergo a reductive amination with NaBH4 in presence of catalytic amounts of AcOH in MeOH, to afford 4-methoxy-N-(4-nitrobenzyl)aniline as one of the products. We further tried to prepare this compound under similar conditions in a separate flask, and the title compound was obtained in high yield (> 90%) through reductive amination of p-nitrobenzaldehyde with p-anisidine.
The bond lengths in the molecule are within normal ranges (Allen et al., 1987) and comparable with those found in related molecules (Iwasaki et al., 1988). The nitro group is nearly coplanar to the benzene ring to which it is bonded, the dihedral angle being 1.70 (2)°. The 4-methoxy phenyl group is trans to the 4-nitro phenyl group about the C7—N8 bond. The torsion angle C1—C7—N8—C9 is 178.22 (17)°. Hydrogen H8 on atom N8 forms an intermolecular hydrogen bond with the nitro O atom O1 of a neighbouring centrosymmetrically related molecule. This interaction links the molecules into N—H···O hydrogen bonded dimers. Dimers are connected via C—H···O hydrogen bonds and form chains along the c-axis of the unit cell (Table 1, Fig. 2). On the other hand, C—H···π interactions (Cg1 is the centroid of the nitro-phenyl ring and Cg2 is the centroid of the methoxy-phenyl ring, Table 1) play important role in stabilizing the crystal structure.