Computational and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopic evidence that (Z)-2-methyl-1,3-pentadiene prefers twisted s-cis conformers in the gas phase

A redetermination of the ultraviolet photoelectron (pe) spectrum of (Z)-2-methyl-1,3-pentadiene has led to a correction of the published spectrum. By studying (Z)-2-methyl-1,3,-pentadiene (1a) and (E)-2-methyl-1,3-pentadiene (1b) with MMX, MNDO, AM1, and abinitio MO computational methods and pe spectroscopy, we have shown that a combination of these methods provides useful insights on the conformational behaviour of methyl-substituted 1,3-dienes in the gas phase. Synthetic pe spectra, derived from the computed potential energy surfaces and angle-dependent orbital energies, are in good agreement with experiment. Thus, the E isomer prefers the s-trans conformer but the Z isomer prefers twisted s-cis conformations in the gas phase.