The three conformations of 3,5-dichloro-2-hydroxythiophenol in solution

Abstract

The long-range spin–spin coupling constants for the sidechain protons in 3,5-dichloro-2-hydroxythiophenol show that the compound exists as a mixture of three conformers in CCl4 solution at 305 K. The conformer, in which the S—H bond is held roughly perpendicular to the ring plane by an [Formula: see text] hydrogen bond, is 13% abundant. The other two conformers, of roughly equal proportions, contain an [Formula: see text] hydrogen bond. One of these has the S—H bond cis to the OH group, the other has it trans. The chemical shifts of the SH proton and of H-6 are in agreement with these conclusions. The free energy preference of the [Formula: see text] over the [Formula: see text] bond is 1140 ± 100 cal/mol at 305 K. The five-bond coupling between the sidechain protons is negative and very likely involves proximate interactions via lone pairs on oxygen and/or sulfur.