MO LCAO calculations and the electronic spectra of the anions of cyclopent-4-ene-1,3-diones and indane-1,3-diones

The Hückel approximation in MO LCAO is used to show that the anion system of cyclopent-4-ene-1,3-dione should have two ^* transitions: a weak one at long wavelengths, NV₁, and a strong one at short wavelengths, C=C(1,3)V₁. An ethylene, phenyl, or acyl group at position 2 gives rise to a new strong band, NC=C(2), Nbenz, or NC=O (2). A p-nitrophenyl group at position 2 gives rise to a strong NNO₂ band, which overlaps the weak NV₁ band, while the Nbenz band becomes weak and is virtually lost from the spectrum.