Experimental and computational studies of molecules with close, non-bonded hydrogen–hydrogen contacts: common computational methods grossly overestimate some ‘through-space’ NMR scalar coupling constants

Abstract

The NMR spin–spin scalar coupling constants (JHH's) of closely contacting, but non-bonded hydrogen atoms in a series of highly strained molecules (including a new in,in-cyclophane made specifically for this study) have been examined both experimentally and computationally. The experimental JHH's are invariably quite small (0.1–0.6 Hz), but common DFT methods with modest basis sets nearly always overestimate these values, by factors of 10–30, and even with quite large basis sets (up to cc-pVQZ) the JHH's of two of the molecules are overestimated by a factor of 10 or more. Possible reasons for these discrepancies are discussed.