DFT Study of Dimerization Sites in Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridinyl-chalcone Series

Quantum chemistry methods were performed in order to characterize the chemical reactivity on series of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridinyl-chalcone (IPC). In particular, the B3LYP/6-311G(d) theory level has been used to determine parameters which characterize the global and local reactivity on five molecules of the series. These compounds differ from one to another with the aryl groups. There are: 1-(2-methylimidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-3-yl)-3-phenylprop-2-en-1-one, 3-(4-fluorophenyl)-1-(2-methylimidazo [1,2-a]pyridin-3-yl)prop-2-en-1-one, 3-[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]-1-(2-methylimidazo [1,2-a]pyridin- 3-yl)prop-2-en-1-one, 3-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-(2-methylimidazo [1,2-a]pyridin-3-yl)prop-2-en-1-one, 3-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-(2-methylimidazo [1,2-a]pyridin-3-yl)prop-2-en-1-one. All results lead to finding out that local nucleophilicity and electrophilicity of compounds are not substituent-dependant contrarily to their global nucleophilicity which prove to be more sensitive to the electron-donating character of the substituents. 3-[4-(Dimethylamino) phenyl]-1-(2-methylimidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-3-yl)prop-2-en-1-one was identified as the unique nucleophile compound by global reactivity. Respectively, the carbon atoms C5 and C14 are the prediction sites of electrophilic and nucleophilic attacks in the molecular skeleton of both molecules. Identification of interactions centres on IPC series is of great importance for organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry where the molecular hybridization strategy is very often used to improve biological activities of interesting therapeutic systems.