1H NMR study of the hetero‐association of unsaturated alcohols with pyridine

Abstract

The 1H NMR titration method is used to investigate the association of some unsaturated alcohols with pyridine in benzene. The association constant for allyl alcohol (2‐propen‐1‐ol) is slightly higher than for alkanols, but putting one methylene group between the OH and vinyl group completely eliminates this enhancement. In alkynols both the OH and ≡CH protons associate with pyridine. Here, the effects of chain‐lengthening on the association constant are irregular. Values for alkynols and some alcohols with hetero‐atom substituents are lower than expected on the basis of a Taft polar constant (σ*) correlation of alkanol association constants and of a correlation with the pKa’s of the corresponding carboxylic acids. It is suggested that stabilization of the ground state by OH/π interactions is responsible for these low association constants. Small increases in the NMR shifts of the OH protons in the 3‐carbon and 4‐carbon alkenols and alkynols can also be attributed to OH/π interactions, but the 5‐carbon analogues have shifts as low as alkanols. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.