A precise analysis of the 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of 2-phenyl-1,3-dithiane. Ring pucker, signs of long-range J(H,H), internal rotational barrier, and van der Waals shifts

The 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of 2-phenyl-1,3-dithiane, as a dilute solution in a CS2–C6D12–TMS solvent mixture at 300 K, is analyzed to yield 8 chemical shifts and 22 distinct coupling constants, nJ(H,H), n = 2–6. The coupling constant between H-2 and the para proton indicates, first, that the bisected conformer (phenyl plane perpendicular to the pseudo plane of the dithiane ring) is most stable and, second, that the apparent twofold barrier to rotation about the Csp2—Csp3 bond is 9.6 kJ/mol. The AM1, STO-3G, and STO-3G* computations confirm the twofoldedness of the barrier; the AM1 barrier is 9.4 kJ/mol. The empirical equation, [Formula: see text] reproduces the vicinal coupling constants of the CH2CH2CH2 fragments and implies puckering angles [Formula: see text] of 54°, 61°, and 64°, respectively. It is implied that 3J at [Formula: see text] is larger than at [Formula: see text] This results is discussed in terms of the latest theoretical approach to 3J in the HCCH fragment. The 4J(H,H) signs and magnitudes for the CH2CH2CH2 fragment agree reasonably well with theory. For the CH2SCH fragment, 4J(H,H) values are positive, in contrast to corresponding numbers in the propanic fragment, perhaps the first experimental values for certain rigid orientations about a heteroatom. INDO MO FPT computations on propane, dimethyl ether, and dimethyl sulfide confirm the experimental trend in 4J(H,H). 2J(H,H) and 5J(H,H) values are compared to those in related molecules. The striking differential shifts of the axial and equatorial protons are attributed to differential van der Waals interactions with the 3p lone-pair orbital on sulfur. A comparison of the ring proton chemical shifts with those in phenylcyclohexane and isopropylbenzene implies that C—S bonds are weaker net electron donors by hyperconjugation than are C—C bonds. It is also proposed that the ortho protons are deshielded by intramolecular van der Waals interactions with the 3p orbitals on the sulfur atoms.