17O NMR spectroscopy: Effect of substituents on chemical shifts for p-substituted benzoic acids,methyl benzoates,cinnamic acids and methyl cinnamates

The ¹⁷O NMR spectra for a series of ¹⁷O-enriched p-substituted benzoic acids, methyl benzoates, cinnamic acids and methyl cinnamates in acetone at 40°C are reported. The carboxylic acids showed one signal (benzoic 250.5 ppm, SCS range p-MeO to p-NO₂ = 10.5 ppm; cinnamic 254.1 ppm, SCS range p-MeO to p-NO₂ = 5.4 ppm). The esters showed two signals methyl benzoate (C?O) 341.3 ppm and (OCH₃) 128.0 ppm; methyl cinnamate (C?O) 339.9 ppm and (OCH₃) 134.2 ppm]. The SCS ranges for the carbonyls of the esters were larger than those for the corresponding acids, while those for the OCH₃ groups of the esters were slightly smaller. The carbonyl data gave good correlations with σ⁺ constants, while the OCH₃ data gave at best only a poor correlation with σ constants. Dual substituent parameter treatment improved the correlations for all the data using σ_R+ constants. The ratios of ρ_I to ρ_R+ were similar for all the sets of data.