Crystal structure of a rearranged cage compound 3-hydroxy-4-aza-8-oxoheptacyclo [9.4.1.0-2,10-, 0 -3,14-, 0-4,9-, 0-9,13-, 0-12,12]tetradecane

Abstract

Polycyclic hydrocarbon compounds exhibit a wide variety of biological activities, ranging from antiviral to Parkinson’s disease. Several structures such as the adamantanes have reached clinical status and are used therapeutically to treat, amongst others, neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s. Polycyclics have also been utilised as carrier molecules to facilitate entry of drugs into the brain. The synthesis, molecular and crystal structure of a new polycyclic compound, 3-hydroxy-4-aza-8-oxoheptacyclo[9.4.1.02,10.03,14.04,9.09,13.012,15]tetradecane, are reported. NMR spectroscopy was applied for structure elucidation of the novel compound and a rearrangement mechanism is proposed for its formation. This compound crystallises in the orthorhombic system, space group Pbca (no. 61). The unit cell parameters are: a = 12.3763 (7), b = 11.6597 (6), c = 15.0539 (8) Å, V = 2172.3 (2) Å3 , and Z = 8 molecules in the unit cell. The reported structure was confirmed by X-ray analysis, which showed that the title molecules associate into centrosymmetric dimers via N–H···O hydrogen bonding