J. M. Neta, R. Fausto
Feb 23, 1998
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Journal
Journal of Molecular Structure
Abstract
The results of a combined vibrational and structural study of methyl cyanoacetate undertaken by Raman and infrared spectroscopy, and ab initio SCF-MO calculations are presented. It is shown that for the isolated molecule situation, as well as in the liquid phase, methyl cyanoacetate exists as a mixture of two main conformers of similar energies, differing by the relative orientation of the N C C C = O axis (the syn and skew forms, having a N C C C = O dihedral angle equal to 0 ° and in the _+ 140 ° region, respectively). In the crystalline state, only the thermodynamically most stable syn conformer remains. The ab initio SCF-MO optimized geometries of the various possible conformers, their relative stabilities, dipole moments and harmonic force-fields are presented, and the conformational dependence of some relevant structural parameters is used to characterise the most important intramolecular interactions present in the various forms studied. Finally, results of a normal mode analysis based on the ab initio calculated vibrational spectra are used to help interpret the experimental vibrational data, enabling a detailed assignment of both Raman and infrared spectra. © 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.