Substituent effects on 13C and 1H chemical shifts in 3-benzylidene-2,4-pentanediones

Substituent effects on the ¹³C and ¹H chemical shifts have been studied for derivatives of 3-benzylidene-2, 4-pentanedione. A significant correlation has been found between chemical shifts of the Z carbonyl group (C-2) and Hammett constants, while no correlation has been found for the E carbonyl group (C-4). Attempts have been made to determine the structural factors which influence these effects. The conformation of 3-benzylidene-2, 4-pentanediones has been determined by ¹³C and ¹H NMR spectroscopy.