Unusual carbon shielding effects of cyclopropanes and double bonds in strained bicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes and cyclopentenes

Carbon-13 shieldings and one-bond ¹³C? H coupling constants of bicyclo[2.1.1]hexane, bicyclo[2.1.1]hex-2-ene, tricyclo[3.1.1.0^2,4]heptane and benzvalene are presented and compared to the data of related compounds. If a bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane system is part of a rigid skeleton, the cyclopropane ring exerts specific γ substituent effects of two kinds. In the case of the bicyclohexane boat form an upfield shift of the C-3 signal is observed and in the case of the chair form a downfield shift of 15–20 ppm. Compared to the corresponding cyclopentanes the double bond in strained cyclopentenes causes downfield shifts of the C-4 absorption. This effect increases with increasing strain, reaching a 45.9 ppm maximum in benzvalene. Hence it is the only known bicyclo[1.1.0]butane having a reversed order of carbon shieldings. The downfield shifts are explained by means of simple orbital interaction schemes.