1H and 13C NMR spectral study of some 3-aryl-5r-aryl-6t-carbethoxycyclohex-2-enones - a study of four-bond 1H-1H couplings

Nine 3-aryl-5r-aryl-6t-carbethoxycyclohex-2-enones 2a-2i have been synthesized. For all these compounds, H-1 and C-13 NMR spectra have been recorded. For two compounds, 2D spectra have been recorded. The spectral data suggest that these compounds adopt sofa conformation in solution with H-5, H-6 and H-4t occupying axial-like positions and H-4c occupying equatorial-like positions. In 3-phenyl-5r-(o-chlorophenyl)-6t-carbethoxycylohex-2-enone (2b), the o-chlorophenyl group is oriented such that the chlorine atom is in between H-4c and H-5. Allylic coupling of H-2 is observed only with H-4t. Evidence has been obtained for four-bond coupling between 1,3-diaxial and 1,3-axial-equatorial protons. Copyright (C) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.