Structural characterization of some substituted azolidine molecules

The electronic structure of a series of organic molecules of general formula RN - (CH2)2 - X - C = Y, which are also of interest in inorganic chemistry because of their properties as ligands towards metals, have been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results suggest a general picture of atomic charge distribution within the investigated molecules, and allow an assessment of the effect of the different substituent groups X, Y, R (X = NR', O, S, CH2; Y = O, S, Se; R, R' = H, alkyl) on the electronic structure of the ligands. Satisfactory correlation is found between experimental binding energies and computed CNDO/2 atomic charges, after correction for intramolecular Madelung potentials. (orig.)