Semiexperimental Equilibrium Structure for the C6 Backbone of cis-1,3,5-Hexatriene; Structural Evidence for Greater π-Electron Delocalization with Increasing Chain Length in Polyenes

Abstract

Twenty-five microwave lines were observed for cis-1,3,5-hexatriene (0.05 D dipole moment) and a smaller number for its three 13C isotopomers in natural abundance. Ground-state rotational constants were fitted for all four species to a Watson-type rotational Hamiltonian for an asymmetric top (κ = −0.9768). Vibration−rotation (alpha) constants were predicted with a B3LYP/cc-pVTZ model and used to adjust the ground-state rotational constants to equilibrium rotational constants. The small inertial defect for cis-hexatriene shows that the molecule is planar, despite significant H−H repulsion. The substitution method was applied to the equilibrium rotational constants to give a semiexperimental equilibrium structure for the C6 backbone. This structure and one predicted with the B3LYP/cc-pVTZ model show structural evidence for increased π-electron delocalization in comparison with butadiene, the first member of the polyene series.

Publisher

American Chemical Society

Publication Date

1-1-2009

Publication Title

Journal of Physical Chemistry A

Department

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Document Type

Article

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jp8106777

Language

English

Format

text

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS