Intermolecular interactions of methyl acetate, β-propiolactone,ethyl acetate,and γ-butyrolactone: An AM1 semiempirical study

Closely related structures, like esters and lactones, have vastly different physical properties. This is apparently due to differences in the intermolecular interactions. The intermolecular interactions of methyl acetate, β-propiolactone, ethyl acetate, and γ-butyrolactone have been studied using the AM1 semiempirical method. Some of the “arranged clusters” were also compared to possible covalently bound trimers and tetramers of β-propiolactone and γ-butyrolactone. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.