Crystal structure of E-1-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)ethanone oxime. The aryl–oxime rotational barrier problem and 13C—15N nmr coupling constant calculations
From an X-ray analysis of the title compound it is found that the dihedral angle between the plane of the aromatic ring and the oxime plane is 70.8 °. This large angle precludes a significant π electron overlap between the oxime function and the benzene ring. The distortions of the internal ring angles attributable to the four substituents are examined in detail, and parameters are derived for the oxime group. The aryl–oxime C—C bond length (1.491 Å) is the longest yet reported for an aromatic oxime. Using the X-ray derived geometry as input for the calculation of 13C—15N coupling constants, one obtains markedly better agreement between calculated and observed couplings than was the case when a force-field calculated molecular geometry was employed. The barrier to rotation about the aryl–oxime bond is estimated to be about 5.8 kcal/mol.