Synthesis, Characterization, and Solid State Dynamic Studies of a Hydrogen Bond-Hindered Steroidal Molecular Rotor with a Flexible Axis

A novel steroid molecular rotor was obtained in four steps from the naturally occurring spirostane sapogenin diosgenin. The structural and dynamic characterization was carried out by solution NMR, VT X-ray diffraction, solid state 13C CPMAS, and solid state 2H NMR experiments. They allowed the identification of a fast dynamic process with a frequency of 14 MHz at room temperature, featuring a barrier to rotation Ea = 7.87 kcal mol–1. The gathered experimental evidence indicated the presence of a hydrogen bond that becomes stronger as the temperature lowers. This interaction was characterized using theoretical calculations, based on topological analyses of the electronic density and energies. In addition, combining theoretical calculations with experimental measurements, it was possible to propose a partition to Ea (∼8 kcal/mol) into three contributions, that are the cost of the intrinsic rotation (∼2 kcal/mol), the hydrogen bond interaction (∼2 kcal/mol), and the packing effects (∼2–3 kcal/mol). The findings from the present work highlight the relevance of the individual components in the function of molecular machines in the solid state.