The effect of solvent polarity upon rotational barriers in nikethamide

In summary, dynamic nuclear magnetic resonance techniques were used to study the hindered internal rotation of the amide bond of the analeptic nikethamide. The rotatory motion of this bond was studied in a series of solvents of increasing polarity: CDCl3, CH3(CH2)3OD, CH3CH2OD, CH3OD and D2O. Motion about the amide bond was increasingly hindered in direct proportion to solvent polarity, correlating with enhanced hydrogen bond formation between nikethamide and the more polar solvent molecules. Diethylamide group motion would be expected to affect binding of the carbonyl oxygen to cholinergic receptor sites. The degree to which association to a receptor site can be affected by this rotatory motion may vary from 0 to 4 kcal/mole, the variability being entirely dependent upon the polarity of the binding site. An increase in rotamer lifetime, corresponding to a more polar environment, would be expected to enhance the kinetics of nikethamide association to the receptor site.