Studies of the solvent effect on the chemical shifts in n.m.r. spectroscopy. II. Solutions of succinic anhydride, maleic anhydride, and the N-substituted imides
Proton magnetic resonance spectra of succinic anhydride, maleic anhydride, and the N-ethyl- or N-(p-chlorophenyl)-imides have been investigated in various media. In benzene solution, a specific interaction between the π-electron cloud of the solvent and the moiety of the protons alpha to the carbonyl groups is suggested. The strength of the interaction is considered to be in the order of (i) maleic anhydride, (ii) succinic anhydride, and (iii) the N-substituted imides. The interaction may be due to both the large electron affinity and the polarization of the carbonyl group. The low-field shifts in strongly polar solvents, such as acetone or dimethyl sulfoxide, are ascribed to the preferential associations of the lone-pair electrons of polar solvents to the electron-deficient sites of solute molecules. In some cases, however, the solvent effects on the chemical shifts are opposite to those expected from the donor properties of the solvents. An explanation may be available from the anisotropic magnetic susceptibilities of the polar groups of the solvent molecules.