Long-range proton coupling constants and molecular orbital calculations as indicators of conformational populations of benzene-1,2- and -1,3-dicarbaldehydes

The 1H nmr spectra of the benzene-1,2- and -1,3-dicarbaldehydes in carbon tetrachloride, benzene-d6, and acetone-d6 solutions at 300 K are analyzed. The stereospecific long-range couplings over five formal bonds between the sidechain and ring protons show that the 1,2 isomer exists as an 87:13 mixture of the cis–trans and trans–trans conformers in carbon tetrachloride. These populations are insensitive to solvent. Molecular orbital calculations utilizing extensive geometry optimization procedures imply that the cis–cis form, with proximate C=O bonds, is indeed of negligible significance as assumed in obtaining the populations of the other forms. Further calculations define a pathway of relatively low energy for interconversion of the two abundant forms, in agreement with dynamic nmr studies. For the 1,3 isomer the long-range couplings provide a check of the conformer populations deduced from dipole moment and 13C nmr studies. For example, if the cis–trans form is 70% abundant, as deduced from the dipole moment in benzene solution, then the long-range couplings imply that the population of the cis–cis conformer is insignificant.