CONFORMATIONAL EQUILIBRIA IN OPEN-CHAIN α,β-UNSATURATED KETONES

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Abstract
The infrared and Raman spectra of trans-Δ3-penten-2-one have been measured over the temperature range +30° to −75° and +85° to +5° respectively. The temperature-dependent changes observed in the spectra indicate that this ketone exists as an equilibrium mixture of s-cis and s-trans conformational isomers in the liquid state. The s-trans form is the more stable and is present exclusively in the crystalline solid.Similar measurements have been carried out on Δ3-buten-2-one. The infrared and Raman spectra of this ketone also exhibit temperature effects that can be explained by a similar equilibrium, though the evidence is not as conclusive as for trans-Δ3-penten-2-one.The influence of alkyl substitution at the α- and β-carbon atoms on the relative stability of the s-cis and s-trans forms of α,β-unsaturated ketones is discussed.