N-heterocyclic norbornene Dicarboximides were synthesized by reacting the exo-norbornene-5,6-dicarboxylic anhydride with 2-, 3-, and 4-aminopyridine. The amides resulting from 3 and 4-aminopyridine derivatives were converted into the corresponding betaines via Menshutkin reaction using ethyl-bromoacetate. The chemical structures of the obtained products were confirmed by FT-IR and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, EA and MS as well as by calculation of 1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts using the GIAO method (PW91/6-311G++ (3df, 3pd) approximation by GAUSSIAN and PW91/IGLO-III approximation by deMon2k).
Keywords: Betaine precursors, dicarboximides, Menshutkin reaction, norbornene, pyridinium, zwitterions, anhydride, zwitterionic, solvatochromism