Equatorial and axial hydrogens in heterocyclic six-membered rings: the rotational spectrum of piperazine

The rotational spectrum of piperazine has been investigated by free jet absorption millimeter wave spectroscopy. The spectrum of the polar conformer with axial–equatorial orientations of the two amino hydrogens was only observed. This assignment was confirmed by the spectra of the two monodeuterated and the bideuterated species.Ab initio and density functional calculations predict the observed conformer to have an energy intermediate between the equatorial–equatorial and axial–axial non-polar forms, the former species being the global minimum.     

Infrared spectra of thiourea adducts occluding monobromocyclohexane or mixtures of monochloro-cyclohexane and monobromocyclohexane

Infrared spectra of a thiourea adduct of monobromocyclohexane were measured in the region 4000 cm^?1 to 30 cm^?1. The axial conformer was found to be predominant in the host lattice. Infrared spectra of thiourea adducts of mixtures of monochlorocyclohexane and monobromocyclohexane were also measured and the spectra interpreted.     

Conformational and structural studies of 1-fluorosilacyclobutane from temperature dependent FT-IR spectra of krypton solutions and ab initio calculations

The infrared spectra (3500 to 40 cm⁻¹) of gaseous and solid and the Raman spectra (3500 to 30 cm⁻¹) of liquid and solid 1-fluorosilacyclobutane, c-C₃H₆SiFH, have been obtained. Both the axial and equatorial conformers with respect to the fluorine atom have been identified in the fluid phases. Variable temperature (−105 to −150 °C) studies of the infrared spectra of the sample dissolved in liquid krypton have been carried out. From these data, the enthalpy difference has been determined to be 282 ± 27 cm⁻¹ (3.37 ± 0.32 kJ/mol), with the equatorial conformer the more stable form and the only conformer remaining in the annealed solid. At ambient temperature there is approximately 21 ± 2% of the axial conformer present in the vapor phase. From isolated Si–H stretching frequencies the Si–H (r₀) distances are calculated to be 1.484 and 1.485 Å for the equatorial and axial conformers, respectively. Structural parameters have been predicted from MP2/6-311 + G(d,p) ab initio calculations and the adjusted r₀ parameters for both conformers were obtained from a combination of the ab initio predicted values and the six previously reported microwave rotational constants. Along with the Si–H bond distance, the Si–C, and C–C distances of 1.865(5), and 1.571(5) Å, respectively, for the equatorial conformer are significantly different from the values for these parameters previously reported from an election diffraction study. Both the SiC and CC distances and the SiF distance are longer by 0.002 and 0.004 Å, respectively, for the axial conformer. Structural parameters have also been obtained for silacyclobutane, c-C₃H₆SiH₂ and ethylsilylfluoride, CH₃CH₂SiH₂F, from combined ab initio predicted values and previously reported rotational constants. Several of these newly determined parameters are significantly different from those previously reported for both molecules. Complete equilibrium geometries, conformational stabilities, harmonic force fields, infrared intensities, Raman activities, and depolarization ratios have been determined for both rotamers by ab initio calculations employing the 6-31G(d) basis set at the level of Moller–Plesset (MP) to second order. A complete vibrational assignment supported by normal coordinate calculations is proposed for the equatorial conformer, and several of the fundamentals of the axial conformer have also been identified. The results are discussed and compared to corresponding quantities for some similar molecules.     

Clathrate and inclusion compounds. 14. Variable temperature vibrational spectroscopic studies of monosubstituted cyclohexane guests in thiourea

Infrared and Raman spectra over the temperature range room temperature to 74K have been recorded for a range of inclusion compounds of thiourea containing monosubstituted cyclohexanes C₆H₁₁X (X =Cl,Br,I,CN,NCO) as guests. The liquid phase of all the cyclohexanes consists of an equilibrium mixture of axial and equatorial conformers, with the equatorial conformer being the more abundant. At room temperature the chloro, bromo and cyano substituted guests exist predominantly as the axial conformer, whereas the iodo and isocyanato substituted guests exist as a mixture of both conformers, but with the axial conformer being the more abundant. The iodocyclohexane inclusion compound was the only one to display a temperature dependent change in the intensity ratio of the conformer bands. This could be due to a change in the conformer ratio or to a structural phase change. J. E. D. Davies and V. A. Tabner,J. Incl. Phenom.,31, 99 (1998). Translated fromZhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 40, No. 5, pp. 988–992, September–October, 1999.     

Spectra and structure of small ring compounds. LXVII vibrational spectra, variable temperature FT-IR spectra of krypton solutions, conformational stability and ab initio calculations of 1-bromosilacyclobutane

The infrared (3,200-30 cm(-1) spectra of gaseous and solid 1-bromosilacyclobutane, c-C3H6SiBrH, have been recorded. Additionally, the Raman spectra of the liquid (3,200- 30 cm(-1) with quantitative depolarization values and the solid have been recorded. Both the equatorial and the axial conformers have been identified in the fluid phases, Variable temperature ( - 105 to - 150 degrees C) studies of the infrared spectra of the sample dissolved in liquid krypton have been carried out. From these data the enthalpy difference has been determined to be 182 +/- 18 cm(-1) (2.18 +/- 0.22 kJ/mol) with the equatorial conformer the more stable rotamer and only conformer remaining in the annealing solid. At ambient temperature there is approximately 22% of the axial conformer present in the vapor phase. A complete vibrational assignment is proposed for both conformers based on infrared contours, relative intensities, depolarization values and group frequencies. The vibrational assignments are supported by normal coordinate calculations utilizing the force constants from ab initio MP2/6-31G(d) calculations. From the frequencies of the Si-H stretch, the Si-H bond distance of 1.483 A has been determined for both the equatorial and the axial conformers. Complete equilibrium geometries have been determined for both rotamers by ab initio calculations employing the 6-31G(d) and 6-311 +/- G(d,p) basis sets at levels of Hartree Fock (RHF) and/or Moller- Plesset with full electron correlation by the perturbation method to the second order (MP2). The results are discussed and compared to those obtained for some similar molecules.     

Solvent Effects on IR Modes of (R)-3-Methylcyclopentanone Conformers: A Computational Investigation

Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations of infrared spectra for the optimized geometries of the R-(+)-3-methylcyclopentanone (R3MCP) equatorial-methyl and axial-methyl conformers were performed in eleven common solvents with a wide polarity range, within the framework of polarizable continuum model (PCM). The DFT correlation function type B3LYP, using a powerful basis set (aug-cc-pVDZ), yielded different linear correlations between solvent polarity and R3MCP equatorial and axial conformers for frequencies of IR modes, intensities, and enthalpies. DFT calculations of the dipole moments of R3MCP equatorial and axial conformer components in 3D were also carried out and found to have a linear correlation with the solvent polarity. An increasing trend for the hypsochromic (blue) shift in the equatorial conformer??s IR frequencies is observed, in comparison to bathochromic (red) shift for the axial-methyl conformer IR modes, as a function of the solvent polarity.     

Infrared and Raman spectra, conformational stability, normal coordinate analysis, ab initio calculations, and vibrational assignment of 1-fluoro-1-methylsilacyclobutane

The infrared (3500–40 cm⁻¹) spectra of gaseous and solid 1-fluoro-1-methylsilacyclobutane, c-C₃H₆SiF(CH₃), have been recorded. Additionally, the Raman spectrum (3500–30 cm⁻¹) of the liquid has been recorded and quantitative depolarization values have been obtained. Both the axial and equatorial (with respect to the methyl group) conformers have been identified in the fluid phases. Variable temperature (−55–−100°C) studies of the infrared spectra of the sample dissolved in liquid xenon have been carried out. From these data, the enthalpy difference has been determined to be 267±10 cm⁻¹ (3.19±0.12 kJ mol⁻¹), with the axial conformer being the more stable form and the only conformer remaining in the polycrystalline solid. A complete vibrational assignment is proposed for the axial conformer and many of the fundamentals for the equatorial conformer have also been identified. The vibrational assignments are supported by normal coordinate calculations utilizing ab initio force constants. Complete equilibrium geometries have been determined for both rotamers by ab initio calculations employing the 6-31G* and 6-311++G** basis sets at the levels of restricted Hartree–Fock (RHF) and/or Moller–Plesset (MP) to second order. The results are discussed and compared to those obtained for some similar molecules.     

Infrared, and Raman spectra, conformational stability, normal coordinate analysis, ab initio calculations, and vibrational assignment of 1-chlorosilacyclobutane

The infrared spectra (3500–40 cm⁻¹) of gaseous and solid and the Raman spectra (3500–30 cm⁻¹) of liquid and solid 1-chlorosilacyclobutane, c-C₃H₆SiClH, have been obtained. Both the axial and equatorial conformers with respect to the chlorine atom have been identified in the fluid phases. Variable temperature (−105 to −150°C) studies of the infrared spectra of the sample dissolved in liquid krypton have been carried out. From these data, the enthalpy difference has been determined to be 211±17 cm⁻¹ (2.53±0.21 kJ/mol), with the equatorial conformer being the more stable form and the only conformer remaining in the annealed solid. At ambient temperatures, approximately 26% of the axial conformers are present in the vapor phase. A complete vibrational assignment is proposed for the equatorial conformer, and many of the fundamentals of the axial conformers have also been identified. The vibrational assignments are supported by normal coordinate calculations utilizing ab initio force constants. Complete equilibrium geometries, conformational stabilities, harmonic force fields, infrared intensities, Raman activities, and depolarization ratios have been determined for both rotamers by ab initio calculations employing the 6-31G(d) basis set at the levels of restricted Hartree–Fock (RHF) and/or Moller–Plesset (MP) to second order. Structural parameters have also been obtained using MP2/6-311+G(d,p) ab initio calculations. The r₀ parameters for both conformers are obtained from a combination of the ab initio predicted values and the twelve previously reported microwave rotational constants. The results are discussed and compared to those obtained for some similar molecules.     

Infrared and Raman spectra, conformational stability, ab initio calculations of structure, and vibrational assignment of ethynylmethyl cyclobutane.

The infrared spectra (3200-300 cm(-1)) of the gas and solid and the Raman spectra (3200-30 cm(-1) of the liquid with quantitative depolarization values and the solid have been recorded of ethynylmethyl cyclobutane (cyclobutylmethyl acetylene), c-C4H7CH2C[ triple bond]CH. Both the equatorial and the axial conformers have been identified in the fluid phases and both the gauche and trans conformations of the methyl acetylenic group have been identified for each ring conformer. Variable temperature (-105 to -150 degrees C) studies of the infrared spectra of the sample dissolved in liquid krypton have been carried out. From these data the enthalpy differences have been determined to the 112 +/- 11 cm(-1) (1.34 +/- 0.13 kJ mol) between the most stable equatorial-trans (Et) conformer and the equatorial-gauche (Eg) conformer which is the second most stable conformer and 327 +/- 35 cm(-1) (3.91 + 0.42 kJ/mol) with the axial-gauche (Ag) conformer which is the least stable conformer. The enthalpy difference between the axial-trans (At) and the equatorial-gauche(Eg) is 56 +/- 6 cm(-1). At ambient temperature there is approximately 33% of the Et conformer, 38% of the Eg form, 15% of the At and 14% of the Ag conformer. For the polycrystalline solid the Eg conformer is the only form present which probably results form the packing in the crystal. A complete vibrational assignment is proposed for both equatorial conformers and additionally a few of the fundamentals of the At and Ag conformers have been assigned. The vibrational assignments are supported by normal coordinate calculations utilizing the force constants from ab initio MP2/6-31G(d) calculations. Complete equilibrium geometries have been determined for all four possible rotamers by ab initio calculations employing the 6-31G(d) and 6-311 + + G(d,p) basis sets at levels of restricted Hartree-Fock (RHF) and /or Moller-Plesset (MP2) with full electron correlation by the perturbation method to second order. The results are discussed and compared to those obtained for some similar molecules.     

Low resolution microwave spectroscopy and the conformational analysis of 4,4-difluoropiperidine

The low resolution and high resolution microwave spectra of 4,4-difluoropiperidine and the N deutero analog have been recorded. Based on a low resolution microwave adaptation of Kraitchman's equations, the species giving rise to the single observed low resolution band series is seen to be the N-H equatorial conformer. This result is verified by obtaining the principal axis coordinates of the amine hydrogen atom via an assignment of the high resolution microwave spectra of the normal and N-D compounds. Consideration of the least intensity of the N-H axial conformer's spectrum that would be necessary for it to be observed, leads to the result: ΔG ? O.89 kcal/mole for the equatorial ? axial equilibrium.     

Relative energy and structural differences of axial and equatorial 1-fluoro-1-silacyclohexane

The rotational spectra of the main isotopomer, of the (29)Si and of all (13)C isotopologues of axial and equatorial forms of 1-fluoro-silacyclohexane have been measured by conventional (only main species) and molecular beam Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. r(0) and partial r(s) structures are given separately for the two forms. The main structural differences are discussed. From dipole moments and relative intensity measurements, a slight preference (E(Eq) - E(Ax) = 42 +/- 24 cm(-1)) for the axial conformer was found. The rotational spectra of some, the most intense, vibrational satellites have also been measured. They belong to the ring-puckering motions.     

Optically Active Oxo(phthalocyaninato)vanadium(IV) with Geometric Asymmetry: Synthesis and Correlation between the Circular Dichroism Sign and Conformation

Oxovanadium(IV) phthalocyanines (VOPcs) with a single‐handed rotation have been prepared, and their right‐ and left‐handed enantiomers resolved on a chiral HPLC column. These enantiomers gave circular dichroism (CD) spectra of opposite signs; the correlation between the CD sign and conformation was obtained by time‐dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations: an enantiomer showing a negative sign in the Q band was suggested to be the right‐handed conformer viewing from the axial oxygen side, whereas that giving a positive CD sign was assigned to the left‐handed conformer. Although silicon phthalocyanines (SiPcs) with two different alkoxy axial ligands have been resolved similarly, the absence of a meaningful CD difference probably reflects the flat character of the SiPc plane compared to the VOPc plane. Changes in the Q‐band CD, depending on the relative orientation of the peripheral substituents, have been worked out theoretically and the origin of the chiroptical properties is discussed.     

Conformational equilibrium in 8-methyl-cis-2-thiahydrindane and 8-methyl-cis-2-oxahydrindane by 13C NMR spectroscopy

The preferred conformation of 8-methyl-cis-thiahydrindane has been both estimated by ¹³C NMR chemical shifts and determined by low temperature ¹³C NMR spectroscopy to be the conformer with the methyl group equatorial with respect to the cyclohexane ring. This result is in disagreement with the interpretation of the temperature dependence of the CD spectra of (+) and (?) 8-methyl-cis-2-thiahydrindane, whereby the conformation with the methyl group axial with respect to the cyclohexane ring was claimed to be the preferred conformation. The preferred conformation of the related oxygen heterocycle, 8-methyl-cis-2-oxahydrindane, has been estimated by ¹³C NMR chemical shifts to be the conformer with the methyl group axial with respect to the cyclohexane ring. Possible reasons for these observations are discussed.     

A carbon-13 cp/mas NMR investigation of the conformation of substituted cyclohexanes in thiourea inclusion compounds

Inclusion compounds of several monosubstituted cyclohexanes and thiourea have been studied using high-resolution ¹³C CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy. The ¹³C NMR chemical shifts of the substituted cyclohexane ring are sensitive to the conformation of the substituent and allow one to predict qualitatively the relative populations of the axial and equatorial conformers. For methylcyclohexane trapped in thiourea the methyl substituent prefers the equatorial conformation while for the cyclohexyl halides (Cl, Br and I) the axial conformer is preferred. In the case of fluorocyclohexane the equatorial conformer appears to predominate; however, this conformer is in rapid equilibrium with the axial conformer.     

Computational study of sulfoxides of thiacyclohexane, 4‐silathiacyclohexane, 4‐fluoro‐4‐silathiacyclohexane,and 4,4‐difluoro‐4‐silathiacyclohexane: Relative energies of conformations and sulfinyl oxygen stabilized pentacoordinate silicon in boat and twist structures

Second‐order Møller‐Plesset theory (MP2) has been used to calculate the equilibrium geometries and relative energies of the chair, 1,4‐twist, 2,5‐twist, 1,4‐boat, and 2,5‐boat conformations of thiacyclohexane 1‐oxide (tetrahydro‐2H‐thiopyran 1‐oxide), 4‐silathiacyclohexane 1‐oxide, cis‐ and trans‐4‐fluoro‐4‐silathiacyclohexane 1‐oxide, and 4,4‐difluoro‐4‐silathiacyclohexane 1‐oxide. At the MP2/6‐311+G(d,p) level of theory, the chair conformer of axial thiacyclohexane 1‐oxide is 0.99, 5.61, 5.91, 8.57, and 7.43 kcal/mol more stable (ΔE) than its respective equatorial chair, 1,4‐twist, and 2,5‐twist conformers and 1,4‐boat and 2,5‐boat transition states. The chair conformer of equatorial thiacyclohexane 1‐oxide is 4.62, 6.31, 7.56, and 7.26 kcal/mol more stable (ΔE) than its respective 1,4‐twist and 2,5‐twist conformers and 1,4‐boat and 2,5‐boat transition states. The chair conformer of axial 4‐silathiacyclohexane 1‐oxide is 1.79, 4.26, 3.85, and 5.71 kcal/mol more stable (ΔE) than its respective equatorial chair, 1,4‐twist, and 2,5‐twist conformers and 2,5‐boat transition state. The 2,5‐twist conformer of axial 4‐silathiacyclohexane 1‐oxide is stabilized by a transannular interaction between the sulfinyl oxygen and silicon, to give trigonal bipyramidal geometry at silicon. The chair conformer of equatorial 4‐silathiacyclohexane 1‐oxide is 2.47, 7.90, and 8.09 kcal/mol more stable (ΔE) than its respective 1,4‐twist, and 2,5‐twist conformers and 2,5‐boat transition state. The chair conformer of axial cis‐4‐fluoro‐4‐silathiacyclohexane 1‐oxide is 4.18 and 5.70 kcal/mol more stable than its 1,4‐twist conformer and 2,5‐boat transition state and 1.51 kcal/mol more stable than the chair conformer of equatorial cis‐4‐fluoro‐4‐silathiacyclohexane 1‐oxide. The chair conformer of axial trans‐4‐fluoro‐4‐silathiacyclohexane 1‐oxide is 5.02 and 6.11 kcal/mol more stable than its respective 1,4‐twist conformer and 2,5‐boat transition state, but is less stable than its 2,5‐twist conformer (ΔE = ?1.77 kcal/mol) and 1,4‐boat transition state (ΔE = ?1.65 kcal/mol). The 2,5‐twist conformer and 1,4‐boat conformer of axial trans‐4‐fluoro‐4‐silathiacyclohexane 1‐oxide are stabilized by intramolecular coordination of the sulfinyl oxygen with silicon that results in trigonal bipyramidal geometry at silicon. The chair conformer of axial 4,4‐difluoro‐4‐silathiacyclohexane 1‐oxide is 3.02, 5.16, 0.90, and 6.21 kcal/mol more stable (ΔE) than its respective equatorial chair, 1,4‐twist, and 1,4‐boat conformers and 2,5‐boat transition state. The 1,4‐boat conformer of axial 4,4‐difluoro‐4‐silathiacyclohexane 1‐oxide is stabilized by a transannular coordination of the sulfinyl oxygen with silicon that results in a trigonal bipyramidal geometry at silicon. The relative energies of the conformers and transition states are discussed in terms of hyperconjugation, orbital interactions, nonbonded interactions, and intramolecular sulfinyl oxygen–silicon coordination. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005     

Dynamics and structure of a flexible columnar liquid crystal based on tetrabenzocyclododecatetraene

The dynamical and conformational behaviour of a flexible tetrabenzocyclododecatetraene derivative exhibiting a columnar mesophase has been studied by a combination of deuteron solid state NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. As shown by two-dimensional (2D) exchange NMR, the mesophase is characterized by slow axial reorientations (∼10^-3s) of single molecular units where the phenylene rings exhibit a well-defined quasi-fourfold potential, while the 2D spectra of the core methylene sites are sensitive to the molecular conformation and reorientation mechanism. Motional narrowing of one-dimensional (1D) spectra reveals additional fast librations due to the internal flexibility of the mesogenic moiety. The various reorientation pathways comprising interconversions and pseudo-rotations between different energetically stable conformations are elucidated on a microscopic level by molecular dynamics simulations. The mesophase dynamics is ascribed to a complex axial motion involving rotational jumps combined with a pseudo-rotation between two symmetry related sofa forms. This is confirmed quantitatively by comparing the experimental 2D NMR spectra of the core methylene sites and the simulations which are based on the molecular geometries obtained by MD simulations. The lineshapes of one- and two-dimensional spectra of magnetically aligned samples specific to the orientation behaviour of the sofa conformer are discussed.     

Conformational stability, r0 structural parameters, and vibrational assignments of mono-substituted cyclobutanes: fluorocyclobutane

Variable temperature (-55 to -100°C) studies of the infrared spectra (3500-400 cm(-1)) of fluorocyclobutane, c-C(4)H(7)F, dissolved in liquid xenon have been carried out as well as the infrared spectra of the gas. By utilizing eight pairs of conformers at 10 different temperatures, the enthalpy difference between the more stable equatorial conformer and the axial form has been determined to be 496±40 cm(-1) (5.93±0.48 kJ/mol). The percentage of the axial conformer present at ambient temperature is estimated to be 8±1%. The ab initio MP2(full) average predicted energy difference from a variety of basis sets is 732±47 cm(-1) (9.04±0.44 kJ/mol) and the average value of 602±20 cm(-1) from density functional theory predictions by the B3LYP method are significantly larger than the experimentally determined enthalpy value. By utilizing previously reported microwave rotational constants for the equatorial and axial conformers combined with ab initio MP2(full)/6-311+G(d,p) predicted structural values, adjusted r(0) parameters have been obtained. The determined heavy atom structural parameters for the equatorial [axial] conformer are: distances (?) C-F=1.383(3) [1.407(3)], C(α)-C(β)=1.543(3) [1.546(3)], C(β)-C(γ)=1.554(3) [1.554(3)] and angles (°) ∠C(α)C(β)C(γ)=85.0(5) [89.2(5)], ∠C(β)C(α)C(β)=89.3(5) [89.2(5)], ∠F-(C(β)C(α)C(β))=117.4(5) [109.2(5)] and a puckering angle of 37.4(5) [20.7(5)]. The conformational stabilities, harmonic force fields, infrared intensities, Raman activities, depolarization ratios and vibrational frequencies have been obtained for both conformers from MP2(full)/6-31G(d) ab initio calculations and compared to experimental values where available. The results are discussed and compared to the corresponding properties of some other monosubstituted cyclobutanes with halogen and pseudo-halogen substituents.     

The utility of infrared spectroscopy for quantitative conformational analysis at a single temperature

The carbonyl stretching vibration of 2-bromocyclohexanone (1) has been measured in a variety of solvents. It is shown that its component intensities are not only dependent on the populations of the axial and equatorial conformers, but are also dependent on the molar absorptivities (epsilon ) which are specific for each conformer in each solvent. In CCl(4), the axial and equatorial conformers have epsilon values of 417 and 818 l mol(-1) x cm(-1), respectively, while in CH(3)CN solution, the values were 664 and 293 l mol(-1) x cm(-1). These results are supported by results of theoretical calculations of frequencies, which gave an intensity of 223.8 kM mol(-1) x(1782 cm(-1)) for the axial and 174.4 kM mol(-1) x (1802 cm(-1)) for the equatorial conformer, indicating that the axial conformer presents a larger molar absorptivity than the equatorial one in the vapor phase. Moreover, the results presented here clearly demonstrate that although infrared spectroscopy at a single temperature can be an important auxiliary technique for conformational analysis, it must not be used to quantify conformational preferences of a molecule if the absorption molar coefficients for each conformer are not known or not amenable to experimental determination.     

1H NMR spectra and ring shapes of the 4,5,8-trimethyl and 4-methyl derivatives of 1-tetralone

The 220 MHz spectra of the title compounds are reported and values for the internal ring dihedral angle, Ψ, formed between the C-2? C-1 and C-3? C-4 bonds, calculated using the R-value method. The trimethyltetralone exists in a conformer having Ψ = 51° and the 4-methyl group in the axial position. 4-Methyl-1-tetralone exists in a conformational equilibrium where the mean value of Ψ for the conformers adopted is 56°.     

Photoelectron imaging of propanal by resonant multiphoton ionization via the 3s Rydberg state

We report the conformationally- and vibrationally-selected photoelectron spectroscopy of propanal obtained by resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) using photoelectron imaging. These photoelectron spectra, employing (2 + 1) ionization via the (n, 3s) Rydberg transitions in the range from 365 to 371 nm, confirm that there are two stable conformer origins in the lowest ionic state, the cis conformer with a co-planar CCCO geometry and a gauche conformer with a approximately 119 degrees CCCO dihedral angle. From ab initio calculations at the B3LYP/6-311++G** level, we find the gauche conformer is slightly more stable, with the energy difference between two conformers determined to be only 65 cm(-1). In our photoelectron spectra, the vertical ionization potential (IP) for the cis conformer of propanal was then determined to be 9.999 (+/-0.003) eV, while that of the gauche conformer of propanal was estimated to be 9.944 eV. A long vibrational progression in the in-plane CCCO deformation vibrational mode, v, for the cis conformer is systematically observed in all photoelectron spectra in which this mode is excited, suggesting that the geometry of the ground ionic state is significantly different from that of the 3s Rydberg state, particularly along the v(15) coordinates.