Conformational analysis of 2-methyl-5-nitro-1,3,2-dioxaborinane

Quantum-chemical methods HF/6-31G(d), HF/6-31+G(d), MP2/6-31G(d)//HF/6-31G(d), and MP2/6-31+G(d)//HF/6-31+G(d) were used to investigate the conformational isomerization of 2-methyl-5-nitro-1,3,2-dioxaborinane. It has been shown that a potential energy surface of this compound includes two minima: an axial form of semi-chair and equatorial sofa together with a transition state belonging to the conformation of 2,5-twist-form. A comparison between experimental NMR ¹H and theoretical vicinal coupling constants was used to determine the quantitative conformational composition of cyclic boric acid ester and a value of ΔG ⁰ for nitro group at the ring carbon atom C⁵ in CCl₄ and C₆D₅NO₂ solutions.