The stereochemistry of nitrate esters. II. Symmetric stretching frequencies of the nitrato group in nitrate esters of l,4;3,6-di-anhydrohexitols (4,8-dihydroxy-cis-2,6-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octanes)

Abstract

In the infrared spectra of mono- and di-nitrate esters of the l,4;3,6-dianhydrides of d-mannitol, d-glucitol, and l-iditol in benzene solution (0.04 M in nitrato groups), the frequencies of the va(NO2) and v(ON) bands (singlets) were 1 645 ± 3 and 843 ± 3 cm−1, respectively, whereas the vs(NO2) band occurred at frequencies characteristic of either an endo (1 282 ± 1 cm−1) or an exo (1 274 ± 1 cm−1) configuration of the nitrato group; the ratios of the band areas were 1.5:1.0:1.0, respectively.The stereospecific frequency of the vs(NO2) band was attributed to non-bonded intramolecular interaction between the nitrato group and vicinal oxy groups on the basis of the spectra run in a series of solvents and the molecular conformations determined by X-ray crystallography. This new stereochemical probe permitted the assignment of the structure, configuration, and conformation in a series of nitrate esters.