A combined solid-state 17O NMR, crystallographic, and computational study of oxiranes

We report the synthesis and solid-state 17O NMR characterization of three 17O-labeled oxiranes: (2S*,3S*)-2,3-bis(4-nitrophenyl)-[17O]oxirane, (2S*,3R*)-2,3-bis(4-nitrophenyl)-[17O]oxirane, and 2,2,3-triphenyl-[17O]oxirane. In addition, we have determined the crystal structure of (2S*,3R*)-2,3-bis(4-nitrophenyl)oxirane by X-ray crystallography. When the experimentally determined 17O NMR tensors for oxiranes (where the C–O–C bond angle is about 60°) are compared with those for dimethyl ether (where the C–O–C bond angle is 113°) and other R–O–R′ functional groups, we found that the highly constrained geometry of oxiranes results in distinct tensor orientations in the molecular frame of reference. The experimental results are complemented by quantum chemical computations. This study represents the first time that 17O chemical shift and quadrupole coupling tensors are simultaneously determined for oxirane compounds.