Motion about the Csp2—S bond in thioanisole and some derivatives by the J method
Conformations about the Csp2—S bond in thioanisole and eight of its derivatives in solution are investigated by means of long-range spin–spin coupling constants over six bonds between the sidechain 13C nucleus and the para ring proton or 19F nucleus. According to geometry optimized STO 3G MO calculations the internal barrier to rotation is predominantly twofold in the gas phase in thioanisole and is 6.2 kJ/mol. In benzene solution the coupling constant yields 5.5(4) kJ/mol. Para fluorine and methyl substituents reduce the magnitude of the internal barrier, but meta methyl or chlorine substituents cause significant increases. In the presence of two ortho fluorine substituents the conformation of lowest energy has the C—S bond in a plane perpendicular to the aromatic plane, but die barrier may now contain a fourfold component. Addition of further fluorine substituents in the meta or para positions causes characteristic changes in conformational preferences of the thiomethyl group.