Experimental and theoretical molecular and electronic structures of the N-oxides of pyridazine, pyrimidine and pyrazine

The structures of pyridazine N-oxide, pyrimidine N-oxide and pyrazine N-oxide have been determined by X-ray diffraction for the first time. Comparison with theoretical predictions of the equilibrium structures using the B3LYP method together with a cc-pVTZ basis set, show close agreement with the structural parameters observed, and experimental dipole moments, which suggests that the charge distribution is realistic. An ‘atoms in molecules’ (AIM) analysis of the computed wave-functions shows total electron densities rather different from the classical picture of a dative bond, whereas the same wave-functions subjected to Mulliken analysis show a more conventional view of the electron distribution. This latter procedure allows a bond dipole analysis of the N-oxide charge distribution.