Proton Magnetic Resonance Studies of Rotational Isomerism in Halotoluenes. X. Estimates of Conformational Preferences and Rotational Barriers in Benzal Fluoride and Some Dichloro Derivatives

Abstract
The synthesis of benzal fluoride and of its 2,6-, 3,5-, 3,4-, and 2,4-dichloro derivatives is followed by an analysis of their proton magnetic resonance spectra. The long-range spin–spin coupling constants are most consistent with a barrier to rotation about the sp2–sp3 carbon–carbon bond in benzal fluoride of less than 500 cal/mol, in semiquantitative agreement with an ab initio molecular orbital calculation. The 2,6-dichloro derivative has a conformation in which the C—H bond of the side chain lies in the plane of the aromatic ring. The 2,4-dichloro derivative favors a similar conformation, the C—H bond lying cis to the ring chlorine atom. In contrast to the long-range proton–proton couplings, the long-range proton–fluorine couplings are intrinsically sensitive to substituent effects from the ring chlorine atoms.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: