Molecular Dynamics in the Solid Trimethylamine-Borane Complex: A Deuterium NMR Study

Abstract

Abstract The molecular dynamics of solid (CH3)3NBH3 is investigated by deuterium NMR spectroscopy. Variable temperature lineshape analyses yield activation energies of 27 ± 3, 19 ± 2, and 12.5 ± 2 kJ/mol for -CH3, -N(CH3)3 and -BH3 rotation, respectively. Analysis of the temperature depen­ dence of the spin-lattice relaxation times, T1 , gives activation energies of 33 ± 3, 15 ± 1.5, and 14 ± 1.5 kJ/mol, respectively. Direct comparison of rotational exchange rates (from lineshape simu­ lations) an of rotational correlation times (from T1 analyses) for -N(CH3)3 and -BH3 rotation indicate that the two motions are correlated in solid (CH3)3NBH3 and together constitute a whole molecule reorientation about the N-B bond. This is supported by an internal rotational barrier of 18.0 kJ/mol for-BH3 rotation, obtained from ab initio molecular orbital calculations at the MP2/6-31G* level.