Dipolar coupling study of the conformations and ordering of 4-chloroethoxybenzene in a nematic solvent

The observed dipolar couplings of 4-chloroethoxybenzene in a nematic solvent are used to study the internal rotations about the O-C(H₂) bond. Accurate theoretical reproductions of these couplings are obtained using the standard three state (trans, gauche^±) rotational isomer model with gauche rotation angle φ^g = 96° and the trans—gauche energy difference E_tg, = 5·52kJ mol^-1. The probabilities and ordering matrix components of the trans and gauche forms are calculated.