Proton-transfer equilibria in chloroform solution of twelve 2-phenacylquinolines were studied by ¹H, ¹³C and ¹⁵N NMR spectroscopies. The (Z)-enaminone form stabilized by an intramolecular hydrogen bond was found to prevail in all cases. Electron-donating substituents in the phenacyl part of the molecule lead to an increase of the ketimine form (to 33% for p-NMe₂). Variable temperature ¹H NMR measurements show that higher temperatures have the same effect. The negative logarithm values of the equilibrium constant, pK_T, were found to be linearly dependent on Hammett σ substituent constants. The pK_Tvs. temperature correlation also has a linear character. In general, strong electron-withdrawing substituents cause transformation of the ketimine to the enaminone form to become more exothermic but values of the heat of reaction for 2-phenacylquinolines studied are not linearly dependent on σ. X-Ray data show that the strength of the internal hydrogen bond in the enaminone form increases for strong electron-withdrawing substituents. Rough estimation shows this bond to be stronger in chloroform solution than in the crystalline state. π-Electron delocalization in the six-membered quasi-ring involving the H⋯O bond is very strong. This effect is responsible for the predominance of the tautomeric enaminone form in 2-phenacylquinolines. On the other hand, semiempirical AM1 and PM3 calculations show that in the gas phase the ketimine tautomer is energetically favored in most cases.

2-Phenacylpyridines substituted in the benzene ring are in equilibrium with (Z)-2-(2-hydroxy-2-phenylvinyl)pyridines when dissolved in chloroform. The substituent affects significantly the tautomeric equilibrium [the amount of the enolimine form stabilized by the intramolecular hydrogen bond is 1 and 92% for R = p-N(CH₂)₄ and p-NO₂, respectively]. The negative logarithm of the tautomeric equilibrium constant, K_T, is linearly dependent on the Hammett σ substituent constants. The dependence of K_Tvs. temperature is exponential in character: the more electron-withdrawing is the substituent, the more distinct is the influence of temperature. Unexpectedly, the tautomer present in the crystalline state is not the same for all compounds studied (it is the ketimine one for those carrying strong electron-donor groups). Among the different ab initio methods used to calculate the enthalpy of the proton transfer in chloroform solution, MP2/6-31G** gives the best results.