title: Engineering exceptionally strong oxygen superbases with 1,8-diazanaphthalene di-N-oxides.
abstract: DFT calculations revealed that 1,8-diazanaphthalene di-N-oxides provide extraordinary oxygen superbases, whose gas-phase and acetonitrile basicities surpass those of classical naphthalene-based nitrogen proton sponges. Such high basicity is almost entirely a consequence of a large strain-induced destabilization in neutral forms, while only a small contribution is offered by the intramolecular [O-H···O](-) hydrogen bonding upon protonation.
authors.affiliation: Quantum Organic Chemistry Group, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia. robert.vianello@irb.hr.
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Despotović
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vianello