On the Effect of Tether Composition on cis/trans Selectivity in Intramolecular Diels–Alder Reactions

Intramolecular Diels–Alder (IMDA) transition structures (TSs) and energies have been computed at the B3LYP/6‐31+G(d) and CBS‐QB3 levels of theory for a series of 1,3,8‐nonatrienes, H₂C?CH? CH?CH? CH₂? X? Z? CH?CH₂ [? X? Z? =? CH₂? CH₂? ( 1 ); ? O? C(?O)? ( 2 ); ? CH₂? C(?O)? ( 3 ); ? O? CH₂? ( 4 ); ? NH? C(?O)? ( 5 ); ? S? C(?O)? ( 6 ); ? O? C(?S)? ( 7 ); ? NH? C(?S)? ( 8 ); ? S? C(?S)? ( 9 )]. For each system studied ( 1 – 9 ), cis‐ and trans‐TS isomers, corresponding, respectively, to endo‐ and exo‐positioning of the ? C? X? Z? tether with respect to the diene, have been located and their relative energies (E_rel^TS) employed to predict the cis/trans IMDA product ratio. Although the E_rel^TS values are modest (typically <3 kJ mol^?1), they follow a clear and systematic trend. Specifically, as the electronegativity of the tether group X is reduced (X?O→NH or S), the IMDA cis stereoselectivity diminishes. The predicted stereochemical reaction preferences are explained in terms of two opposing effects operating in the cis‐TS, namely (1) unfavorable torsional (eclipsing) strain about the C4? C5 bond, that is caused by the ? C? X? C(?Y)? group’s strong tendency to maintain local planarity; and (2) attractive electrostatic and secondary orbital interactions between the endo‐(thio)carbonyl group, C?Y, and the diene. The former interaction predominates when X is weakly electronegative (X?N, S), while the latter is dominant when X is more strongly electronegative (X?O), or a methylene group (X?CH₂) which increases tether flexibility. These predictions hold up to experimental scrutiny, with synthetic IMDA reactions of 1 , 2 , 3 , and 4 (published work) and 5 , 6 , and 8 (this work) delivering ratios close to those calculated. The reactions of thiolacrylate 5 and thioamide 8 represent the first examples of IMDA reactions with tethers of these types. Our results point to strategies for designing tethers, which lead to improved cis/trans‐selectivities in IMDAs that are normally only weakly selective. Experimental verification of the validity of this claim comes in the form of fumaramide 14 , which undergoes a more trans‐selective IMDA reaction than the corresponding ester tethered precursor 13 .     

Configurational characteristics of trans-1,4-polychloroprene: Experimental results on the unperturbed dimensions and their temperature coefficient

Polychloroprene [CCl?CH? CH₂? CH₂? ]_x of approximately 95% trans-1,4 stereochemical structure was prepared by low-temperature emulsion polymerization. Fractions, obtained by liquid–liquid precipitations were studied in toluene solutions at 30°C by viscometry and osmometry. In addition, force–temperature measurements were carried out on networks of the polymer in the amorphous state. The results obtained on the polymer solutions indicate that the unperturbed dimensions of trans-1,4-polychloroprene are essentially the same as those of trans-1,4-polybutadiene of the same molecular weight. This observation, that substitution of a relatively large Cl atom for one of the methine H atoms in the trans-1,4-polybutadiene repeat unit has little effect on the chain dimensions, suggests that this increase in substituent size is offset by the fact that the length of a C? Cl bond is very much greater than that of a C? H bond. The results obtained on the polymer networks indicate that the unperturbed dimensions of trans-1,4-polychloroprene decrease significantly with increasing temperature, as has also been reported for both trans-1,4-polybutadiene and trans-1,4-polyisoprene.     

Chiral Lithiated Allylic α‐Sulfonyl Carbanions: Experimental and Computational Study of Their Structure,Configurational Stability,and Enantioselective Synthesis

X‐ray crystal structure analysis of the lithiated allylic α‐sulfonyl carbanions [CH₂?CHC(Me)SO₂Ph]Li ? diglyme, [cC₆H₈SO₂tBu]Li ? PMDETA and [cC₇H₁₀SO₂tBu]Li ? PMDETA showed dimeric and monomeric CIPs, having nearly planar anionic C atoms, only O?Li bonds, almost planar allylic units with strong C?C bond length alternation and the s‐trans conformation around C1?C2. They adopt a C1?S conformation, which is similar to the one generally found for alkyl and aryl substituted α‐sulfonyl carbanions. Cryoscopy of [EtCH?CHC(Et)SO₂tBu]Li in THF at 164 K revealed an equilibrium between monomers and dimers in a ratio of 83:17, which is similar to the one found by low temperature NMR spectroscopy. According to NMR spectroscopy the lone‐pair orbital at C1 strongly interacts with the C?C double bond. Low temperature ⁶Li,¹H NOE experiments of [EtCH?CHC(Et)SO₂tBu]Li in THF point to an equilibrium between monomeric CIPs having only O?Li bonds and CIPs having both O?Li and C1?Li bonds. Ab initio calculation of [MeCH?CHC(Me)SO₂Me]Li ? (Me₂O)₂ gave three isomeric CIPs having the s‐trans conformation and three isomeric CIPs having the s‐cis conformation around the C1?C2 bond. All s‐trans isomers are more stable than the s‐cis isomers. At all levels of theory the s‐trans isomer having O?Li and C1?Li bonds is the most stable one followed by the isomer which has two O?Li bonds. The allylic unit of the C,O,Li isomer shows strong bond length alternation and the C1 atom is in contrast to the O,Li isomer significantly pyramidalized. According to NBO analysis of the s‐trans and s‐cis isomers, the interaction of the lone pair at C1 with the π* orbital of the CC double bond is energetically much more favorable than that with the “empty” orbitals at the Li atom. The C1?S and C1?C2 conformations are determined by the stereoelectronic effects n_C–σ_SR* interaction and allylic conjugation. ¹H DNMR spectroscopy of racemic [EtCH?CHC(Et)SO₂tBu]Li, [iPrCH?CHC(iPr)SO₂tBu]Li and [EtCH?C(Me)C(Et)SO₂tBu]Li in [D₈]THF gave estimated barriers of enantiomerization of ΔG^≠=13.2 kcal mol^?1 (270 K), 14.2 kcal mol^?1 (291 K) and 14.2 kcal mol^?1 (295 K), respectively. Deprotonation of sulfone (R)‐EtCH?CHCH(Et)SO₂tBu (94 % ee) with nBuLi in THF at ?105 °C occurred with a calculated enantioselectivity of 93 % ee and gave carbanion (M)‐[EtCH?CHC(Et)SO₂tBu]Li, the deuteration and alkylation of which with CF₃CO₂D and MeOCH₂I, respectively, proceeded with high enantioselectivities. Time‐dependent deuteration of the enantioenriched carbanion (M)‐[EtCH?CHC(Et)SO₂tBu]Li in THF gave a racemization barrier of ΔG^≠=12.5 kcal mol^?1 (168 K), which translates to a calculated half‐time of racemization of t_1/2=12 min at ?105 °C.     

Supramolecular structures of bis‐thionooxalamic acid esters derived from (±)‐cyclohexane‐1,2‐diamine and (±)‐1,2‐diphenylethylenediamine

The bis‐thionooxalamic acid esters trans‐(±)‐diethyl N,N′‐(cyclohexane‐1,2‐diyl)bis(2‐thiooxamate), C₁₄H₂₂N₂O₄S₂, and (±)‐N,N′‐diethyl (1,2‐diphenylethane‐1,2‐diyl)bis(2‐thiooxamate), C₂₂H₂₄N₂O₄S₂, both consist of conformationally flexible molecules which adopt similar conformations with approximate C₂ rotational symmetry. The thioamide and ester parts of the thiooxamate group are significantly twisted along the central C—C bond, with the S=C—C=O torsion angles in the range 30.94 (19)–44.77 (19)°. The twisted s‐cis conformation of the thionooxamide groups facilitates assembly of molecules into a one‐dimensional polymeric structure via intermolecular three‐center C=S...NH...O=C hydrogen bonds and C—H...O interactions formed between molecules of the opposite chirality.     

Molecular mechanics assessment of the configurational statistics of polyoxyethylene

Previous investigators have shown that statistical mechanical averages for configuration-dependent physical properties of long unperturbed polyoxyethylene chains are sensitive to the gauche–trans energy difference for rotation about C? C bonds. Agreement between theory and experiment could be obtained only by significant adjustment of this energy away from values predicted by semiempirical conformational energy computations. The present work examines the success of MM 2 in evaluating conformational properties of long unperturbed polyoxyethylene chains. Calculations are performed which identify the rotational isomers, and their energies, for the indicated bonds in CH₃OCH₂CH₂O? CH₂? CH₂? OCH₂CH₂OCH₃. These energies are used to assign statistical weights utilized in the configuration partition function for a rotational isomeric state chain with symmetric threefold interdependent rotations. The customary generator matrix scheme is employed to evaluate the mean-square unperturbed end-to-end distance, mean-square unperturbed dipole moment, and their temperature coefficients. Contrary to computational schemes employed previously, MM 2 is found to provide an estimate of the gauche–trans energy difference for rotation about C? C which is in harmony with the known dimensions and dipole moments of the unperturbed polymer. MM 2 also provides good estimates for most of the other parameters required in the rotational isomeric state treatment. A notable exception is provided by the gauche–trans energy difference for rotation about the C? O bond. This energy difference is overestimated by MM 2.     

Compounds with bridgehead nitrogen. 44—the conformational analysis of perhydropyrido[1,2-c] [1,3]thiazine

The 270 MHz NMR data on trans- and cis-(H-4a, H-7)-7-ethylperhydropyrido[1,2-c][1,3]thiazine show heavy conformational bias to the trans- and S-inside cis-fused conformations, respectively. Comparison of the ¹³C NMR spectra of these anancomeric systems with the ¹³C NMR spectrum of perhydropyrido[1,2-c][1,3]thiazine indicates a trans-?S-inside cis-conformational equilibrium for the latter compound in CDCl₃ at 25°C, containing ca 75% trans-fused conformer. The ¹³C NMR spectrum of perhydropyrido[1,2-c][1,3]-thiazine at ?75°C showed 64% trans-fused conformer and 36% S-inside cis-conformer.     

cis/trans Isomerism of Hydroalumination and Hydrogallation Products—Reflections on Stability and Rearrangement Mechanism

Treatment of (silylalkynyl)benzenes with (Me₃C)₂Ga? H afforded stable cis‐addition products, for example, (Me₃C)₂Ga? C(SiMe₃)?C(H)? C₆H₅ ( 1 ), while spontaneous cis/trans rearrangement was observed for sterically less shielded gallium hydrides. The corresponding trans‐di(tert‐butyl)gallium compounds ( 13 , 14 ) were obtained by the reaction of C₆H_6?n[C(H)?C(SiMe₃)GaCl₂]_n ( 11 , 12 ) with LiCMe₃. In contrast, spontaneous isomerization took place upon reaction of (Me₃C)₂Al? H with phenyltrimethylsilylethyne. In this case the cis isomer ( 17 ) was detected only at low temperature, while the trans product ( 18 ) formed quantitatively above 0 °C. Quantum‐chemical calculations showed that the trans forms are thermodynamically favored, essentially caused by a better mesomeric interaction of the C?C double bonds with the phenyl groups, a smaller steric stress in the molecules, and a short bonding contact of the coordinatively unsaturated Al or Ga atoms to C? H bonds of the aromatic rings. The rotation about the C?C double bonds follows a zwitterionic mechanism, and the relatively small rotational barrier is further lowered by an interaction to a Lewis acidic lithium cation.     

1H NMR spectra. Part 29§: proton chemical shifts and couplings in esters—the conformational analysis of methyl γ‐butyrolactones

The ¹H NMR spectra of 35 cyclic and acyclic esters are analysed to give the ¹H chemical shifts and couplings. The substituent chemical shifts of the ester group were analysed using three‐bond (γ) effects for near protons and the electric field, magnetic anisotropy and steric effect of the ester group for more distant protons. The electric field is calculated from the partial atomic charges on the O?C = O atoms, and the asymmetric magnetic anisotropy of the carbonyl group acts at the midpoint of the C = O bond. The values of the anisotropies Δχ_parl and Δχ_perp were for the aliphatic esters 10.35 and ?18.84 and for the conjugated esters 7.33 and ?15.75 (×10^?6 ų/molecule). The oxygen steric coefficients found were 104.4 (aliphatic C = O), 45.5 (aromatic C = O) and 16.0 (C–O) (×10^?6 Å⁶/molecule). After parameterisation, the overall RMS error for the data set of 280 entries was 0.079 ppm. The strongly coupled ¹H NMR spectra of the 2‐methyl, 3‐methyl and 4‐methyl γ‐butyrolactones were analysed and the methyl conformational equilibrium obtained from the observed couplings. The observed versus calculated density functional theory (DFT) ΔG(ax‐eq) was 1.0 (1.01), 0.34 (0.54) and 0.65 (0.71) kcal/mol res. The shielding effect of a methyl cis to a proton in the five‐membered lactone rings is ?0.40 ±0.05 ppm and deshielding trans effect 0.12 ±0.05 ppm, which is common to both five and six membered rings. The cis/trans isomerism in the vinyl esters methyl acrylate, crotonate and methacrylate and methyl furoate was examined using the ¹H chemical shifts. The calculated shifts of both the cis and trans isomers were in good agreement with the observed shifts. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hindered rotation in thioureas: Steric effects and conformations

The temperature dependent spectra of several mono-, di- and trialkylthioureas have been recorded. Free energy barriers to internal rotation about the C? N bonds have been calculated. In thioureas that were unsymmetrically substituted, free energy barriers were found to be different for each C? N bond with the more substituted amino group exhibiting the higher barrier. The monosubstituted thioureas showed different rotational barriers for the NH₂ groups of the cis and trans isomers, respectively. The free energy barriers for the trans isomers were found to be substituent dependent and substantiate the reassignment of the high and low field substituent signals to the trans and cis isomers, respectively. The spectrum of 1-methyl-3-t-butylthiourea indicates restricted rotation of the t-butyl group at temperatures below 200 K.     

Conformational analysis of allylamine. An ab initio molecular orbital study

The conformational characteristics of allylamine were investigated by the ab initio STO -3G basis set. The results indicate that the molecule exists in a number of stable conformations through rotations about the CC? NH and CC? CN bonds. The TE (trans-CCNLP , LP representing lone-pair electrons, and eclipsed-CCCH) is the most stable, while TC (trans-CCNLP and cis-CCCN), GE (gauche-CCNLP and eclipsed-CCCH), G′C(gauche′-CCNLP and cis-CCCN), and G′E (gauche′-CCNLP and eclipsed-CCCH) conformations are less stable, respectively, by 0.41, 0.67, 0.92, and 1.14 kcal mol^?1. These results are in general consistent with previous experimental results. Rationale for the conformational characteristics and order of stabilities are explored.     

Lanthanide Coordination Polymers Constructed from Infinite Rod‐Shaped Secondary Building Units and Flexible Ligands

Three lanthanide coordination polymers constructed from infinite rod‐shaped secondary building units (SBUs), [Nd₂(H₂O)₂(cis‐chdc)₂(trans‐chdc)]?2H₂O ( 1 ), Nd₂(H₂O)₄(trans‐chdc)₃ ( 2 ), and [Sm₂(H₂O)₂(cis‐chdc)(trans‐chdc)₂]?4H₂O ( 3 ) (chdcH₂=1,4‐cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid), were hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characterized. The structures of 1 – 3 are modulated by different ratios of the cis and trans configurations of chdc^2? ligands, which was achieved by temperature control in the hydrothermal reactions. Crystal‐structure analysis revealed that 1 is a four‐connected pcu‐type rod packing network built from cross‐linking of rod‐shaped neodymium–oxygen SBUs by cis‐ and trans‐chdc^2? ligands in a 2:1 ratio, 2 displays a complicated six‐connected hex‐type rod packing structure built by connection of rod‐shaped neodymium–oxygen SBUs and trans‐chdc^2? ligands, and 3 features an unprecedented five‐connected rod packing pattern constructed from rod‐shaped samarium–oxygen SBUs and cis‐ and trans‐chdc^2? ligands in a 1:2 ratio.     

Theoretical analysis of conformational energies,unperturbed dimensions,and dipole moments of poly(dichlorophosphazene)

A theoretical analysis of the conformational energies of poly(dichlorophosphazene) (PDCP) is presented. The results indicate that the bond pair P? N? P possesses a considerable conformational freedom, whereas the bond pair N? P? N is relatively rigid. This difference explains the low glass transition temperatures T_g and large end-to-end distances measured for polyphosphazenes. A statistical model containing four rotational isomers (ie., trans, gauche, cis, and negative gauche) is developed and used to calculate unperturbed dimensions and dipole moments of PDCP. The results, obtained at 25°C with n = 400 skeletal bonds (200 repeating units), were C_n = 〈r²〉₀/nl² = 13.5; C_T = 10³d(ln〈r²〉₀)/dT = ?3.0 K^?1; D_n = 〈μ²〉/nμ = 0.35; D_T = 10³d(ln〈μ²〉)/dT = ?3.4 K^?1. All the calculated magnitudes are extremely sensitive to the energy E_σ that controls the statistical weights of the conformations tg, tc, tg^?, gt, ct, and g^?t relative to tt for the bond pair P? N? P. A qualitative explanation for this sensitivity is discussed.     

Stereospecific control of peptide gas‐phase ion chemistry with cis and trans cyclo ornithine residues

We report non‐chiral amino acid residues cis‐ and trans‐1,4‐diaminocyclohexane‐1‐carboxylic acid (cyclo‐ornithine, cO) that exhibit unprecedented stereospecific control of backbone dissociations of singly charged peptide cations and hydrogen‐rich cation radicals produced by electron‐transfer dissociation. Upon collision‐induced dissociation (CID) in the slow heating regime, peptide cations containing trans‐cO residues undergo facile backbone cleavages of amide bonds C‐terminal to trans‐cO. By contrast, peptides with cis‐cO residues undergo dissociations at several amide bonds along the peptide ion backbone. Diastereoisomeric cO‐containing peptides thus provide remarkably distinct tandem mass spectra. The stereospecific effect in CID of the trans‐cO residue is explained by syn‐facially directed proton transfer from the 4‐ammonium group at cO to the C‐terminal amide followed by neighboring group participation in the cleavage of the CO―NH bond, analogous to the aspartic acid and ornithine effects. Backbone dissociations of diastereoisomeric cO‐containing peptide ions generate distinct [b_n]⁺‐type fragment ions that were characterized by CID‐MS³ spectra. Stereospecific control is also reported for electron‐transfer dissociation of cis‐ and trans‐cO containing doubly charged peptide ions. The stereospecific effect upon electron transfer is related to the different conformations of doubly charged peptide ions that affect the electron attachment sites and ensuing N―C_α bond dissociations.     

The C form of n‐hexa­decanoic acid

In the crystal structure of the title compound, C₁₆H₃₂O₂, the mol­ecules are arranged into dimers through O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. These dimers are packed in bilayers with terminal methyl groups at both external faces, and these layers are parallel to the crystallographic (100) plane. All C—C bonds of the alkyl chain show an anti­periplanar (trans) conformation, with slight deviations from the ideal value in the C—C bonds close to the inter­molecular hydrogen bonds. The similarity between the carb­oxyl C—O bond distances is consistent with the existence of cis–trans tautomerism.     

N-Ethynylation of Anilides Decreases the Double-Bond Character of Amide Bond while Retaining trans-Conformation and Planarity

Activated amide bonds have been attracting intense attention; however, most of the studied moieties have twisted amide character. To add a new strategy to activate amide bonds while maintaining its planarity, we envisioned the introduction of an alkynyl group on the amide nitrogen to disrupt amide resonance by nN→C_sp conjugation. In this context, the conformations and properties of N-ethynyl-substituted aromatic amides were investigated by DFT calculations, crystallography, and NMR spectroscopic analysis. In contrast to the cis conformational preference of N-ethyl- and vinyl-substituted acetanilides, N-ethynyl-substituted acetanilide favors the trans conformation in the crystal and in solution. It also has a decreased double bond character of the C(O)−N bond, without twisting of the amide. N-Ethynyl-substituted acetanilides undergo selective C(O)−N bond or N−C(sp) bond cleavage reactions and have potential applications as activated amides for coupling reactions or easily cleavable tethers.     

Direct and indirect substituent effects on 1J(CH) in vinyl derivatives and related compounds

The variation in the one–bond couplings ¹J(CH) in vinyl derivatives with substituent has been examined. For the geminal proton ¹J correlates very badly with substituent electronegativity but extremely well with σ_I, if conjugating substituents are excluded. In the case of halogen substituents the marked stereospecificity of ¹J(CH) for the cis and trans protons can be rationalised in terms of an intrinsic dependence of π_CH on the dihedral angle between the coupling atoms and the perturbing substituent, with an additional positive increment to the cis coupling due to direct interaction of the substituent non-bonding electrons or to orbital circulation of the substituent electrons. The intrinsic specificity of β-substituent effects on ¹J(CH) is also found in analogous compounds containing C?N and C?O bonds.     

Conformational analysis of highly extended poly(ethylene terephthalate) chains by Monte Carlo calculations

The conformational disorder compatible with the highly extended chains found in mesomorphic poly(ethylene terephthalate) has been studied by Monte Carlo calculations on model oligomers confined inside cylindrical tubes. The distribution of torsional angles for such extended chains is characterized by O C C O bonds being always in the trans domain, while the C O C C bonds show an approximately similar probability of being found in trans and gauche states, the probability maxima being centered at 90° and −90° in the latter cases. At variance with the torsional angles of the O C C O and the ester bonds, always very close to 180°, the distributions for all other torsional angles show flat and broad probability maxima, indicating the possibility of substantial deviations from the average value inside each domain. This is also true for the fictitious O C˙˙˙C O bonds across the phenylene rings, for which a nearly trans geometry is preferred in extended conformations.     

8-Aminoquinoline as a new bidentate ligand for cis-MoO2: synthesis and characterization of a dioxomolybdenum(VI) amide [MoO2(NHC9H6N)2]

The reaction of (Bu₄N)₂[Mo₆O₁₉] with 8-aminoquinoline in the presence of DCC (N,N′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide) afforded the cis-dioxo-Mo(VI) amide [MoO₂(NHC₉H₆N)₂], which was characterized by spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, ¹H NMR, and single-crystal X-ray analysis. X-ray crystallography shows that the complex exhibits a distorted octahedral geometry with each oxo ligand trans to the quinolyl nitrogen and the amido ligands are bound to the metal in an N,N-chelating fashion. The molecules form zigzag chains via C–H?···?O hydrogen bonds and the chains are connected into networks through interchain N–H?···?O hydrogen bonds.     

Conformational characteristics of poly(ethylene phthalate)s

The conformational characteristics, as embodied in the unperturbed mean‐square end‐to‐end distances (〈r²〉_o) and the characteristic ratios of the dimensions [C_n = 〈r²〉_o/(n〈l²〉] are calculated for the para, meta, and ortho isomers of poly(ethylene phthalate)s: poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), poly(ethylene isophthalate) (PEI), and poly(ethylene phthalate) (PEP), respectively. Although each of these isomeric and partially aromatic polyesters has identical permissible conformations available to their ethylene glycol fragments, their connections through the ester bonds to the phenyl rings are quite distinct. In addition, for the ortho isomer (PEP), the close spatial proximity of the ester groups bonded to the same phenyl ring results in an interdependence of their orientations with respect to each other and the phenyl ring to which they are attached, unlike the independent orientations of ester groups in the para and meta isomers (PET and PEI). Conformational energy calculations, dependent on the orientation of the ester groups in PEP, are used to characterize their rotational interdependence to modify the rotational isomeric state (RIS) conformational models for PET and PEI and thereby obtain an RIS model appropriate for PEP. This leads to calculated relative dimensions (〈r²〉_o) of 1.0:0.70:0.37 PET:PEI:PEP and characteristic ratios [C_n = 〈r²〉_o/(n〈l²〉)] of 4.13:4.67:2.49 PET:PEI:PEP. These results are discussed in an effort to obtain some understanding of the inherent static (or equilibrium) and dynamic flexibilities of the isomeric poly(ethylene phthalate)s. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 1254–1260, 2002     

Stereochemical applications of mass spectrometry. 3—Energy dependence of the fragmentation of stereoisomeric methylcyclohexanols

Breakdown graphs have been constructed from charge exchange data for the epimeric 2-methyl-, 3-methyl- and 4-methyl-cyclohexanols. Although the breakdown graphs for epimeric pairs are essentially identical above ～12 eV recombination energy, significant differences are observed for the epimeric 2-methyl- and 4-methyl-cyclohexanols at low internal energies. For the 2-methylcyclohexanols the ratio ([M? H₂O]^+·/[M]^+·)_cis/([M? H₂O]^+·/[M]^+·)_trans is 3.2 in the [C₆F₆]^+· charge exchange mass spectra. This is attributed to both energetic and conformational effects which favour the stereospecific cis-1,4-H₂O elimination for the cis epimer. The breakdown graph for trans-4-methylcyclohexanol shows a sharp peak in the abundance of the [M? H₂O]^+· ion at ～10 eV recombination energy which is absent from the breakdown graph for the cis epimer. This peak is attributed to the stereospecific cis-1,4-elimination of water from the molecular ion of the trans isomer; the reaction appears to have a low critical energy but a very unfavourable frequency factor, and alternative modes of water loss common to both epimers are observed at higher energies. As a result, in the [C₆F₆]^+· charge exchange mass spectra the ([M? H₂O]^+·/[M]^+·)_trans/([M? H₂O]^+·/[M]^+·)_cis ratio is ～24, compared to the value of 13 observed in the 70 eV EI mass spectra. No differences are observed in either the metastable ion abundances or the associated kinetic energy releases for epimeric molecules.