Boron heterocycles derived from 2-guanidinobenzimidazole

The syntheses and structure determinations of a series of boron heterocycles derived from 2-guanidinobenzimidazole 1 are reported. Structures of new compounds, 2-guanidino-1-methyl-benzimidazole 2, diphenyl-(2-guanidinobenzimidazole-N,N′)-borate 3, diphenyl-(2-guanidino-1-methyl-benzimidazole-N,N′)borate 4, hydroxy-phenyl-(2-guanidinobenzimidazole-N,N′)borate 5, hydroxy-phenyl-(2-guanidino-1-methyl-benzimidazole-N,N′)borate 6, methoxy-phenyl-(2-guanidinobenzimidazole-N,N′)borate 7, isopropoxy-phenyl-(2-guanidinobenzimidazole-N,N′)borate 8, acetoxy-phenyl-(2-guanidinobenzimidazole-N,N′)borate 9, methoxy-phenyl-(2-guanidino-1-methyl-benzimidazole-N,N′)borate 10, dihydroxy-(2-guanidino-1-methyl-benzimidazole-N, N′) borate 16, difluoro-(2-guanidinobenzimidazole-N,N′)borate, 17, dihydroxy-(2-guanidino-1-benzimidazole-N,N′)borate potassium salt 19, diphenyl-(2-guanidinium-10H-benzimidazole-N,N′)borate hydrochloride 20, methoxy-phenyl-(2-guanidinobenzimidazole-N,N′)borate hydrochloride 21, and N10-borane-(diphenyl-2-guanidinobenzimidazole-N,N′)borate 22, were determined based on ¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁵N, and ¹¹B spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction structures of 3-7, 19, and 20 were obtained. The formation of N3-borane adducts 11 and 12 derived from compounds 1 and 2, respectively, and the dihydride-(2-guanidinobenzimidazole-N,N′)borate 13 and dihydride-(2-guanidino-1-methyl-benzimidazole-N,N′)borate 14 were observed by ¹¹B NMR. The results show that 2-guanidinobenzimidazole gives stable borate heterocycles with a delocalized π electronic system. A dynamic exchange of N-H protons was observed with preferred protonation at N-12. The new heterocycles are protonated at N-10 by acidic substances to give pyridinium-type heterocycles or can lose a proton to give iminium salts.