Electric dipole moment studies of carboxylic ester conformations: alkyl acetates, benzoates, 2,4,6-trimethyl-benzoates and 2,3,5,6-tetramethylbenzoates

Abstract

Electric dipole moments μ in benzene at 30 °C have been determined (Table 3) on methyl, ethyl, isopropyl and t-butyl esters of the title compounds to determine steric effects on conformation in solution. Experimental moments were compared with those calculated for various possible conformations by a 3-dimensional vectorial addition method using bond moments and bond angles. The experimental moments for the alkyl acetates were best interpreted in terms of an out-of-plane deviation of the alkyl group from an s- trans conformation caused by steric interference between the alkyl group and the carbonyl oxygen and increasing in the series from methyl to t-butyl. The dihedral angles 0 (deviations) were calculated using a vector addition method. An increase in the moments of the benzoate series over the acetates was interpreted in terms of conjugative interaction between phenyl and carbonyl groups. Angles of twist φ for the benzoates and trimethylbenzoates were calculated using the Braude-Sondheimer equation. A decrease in the moments of the methyl, ethyl, and isopropyl trimethyl-benzoates as compared with the benzoates was interpreted in terms of steric interference between ortho methyls and both oxygens. The decrease in the angles of twist from methyl to t-butyl for the trimethylbenzoates was tentatively explained by greater steric interaction of the alkyl group with both carbonyl oxygen and ortho methyls, which forces adoption of a more coplanar arrangement between the ring and the carbonyl group than for the other alkyl derivatives, this interaction increasing with the size of the alkyl group. Dipole moments for 2,3,5,6-tetramethylbenzoates were nearly the same as for corresponding trimethyl-benzoates, thus showing no conclusive evidence for operation of a “buttressing” effect.