Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance studies of (Z)-5-fluoro-2-methyl-1-{[p-(methylsulfinyl)phenyl] methylene}-1H-indene-3-acetic acid (sulindac) and some related compounds
Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectra have been obtained and fully assignee for a number of 2-methyl-1-{[p-(methylthio) or -(methylsulfinyl}phenyl]methylene}-1H-indene-3- acetic acid derivatives, including the potent anti-inflammatory compound sulindac, 1Z. Paired E and Z isomers were studied along with the sulindac sodium salt and ethyl ester in the Z series. Variations in steric crowding in E vs. Z isomers produce chemical shift effects which alternate with the number of intervening bonds. Fluorine substituent effects and 19F nuclear spin coupling to 13C nuclei, second-order features in off-resonance proton-decoupled spectra, and values of long-range 13CH nuclear spin coupling constants have been employed in making a complete set of assignments.