Ab initio studies of structural features not easily amenable to experiment. 18. Conformational analysis and molecular structure of glycine methyl ester |
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Authors: | Lother Schfer C Van Alsenoy J N Scarsdale V J Klimkowski J D Ewbank |
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Institution: | Lother Schäfer,C. Van Alsenoy,J. N. Scarsdale,V. J. Klimkowski,J. D. Ewbank |
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Abstract: | The structures of four conformations of the methyl ester of glycine were determined by standard single-determinant molecular orbital (MO ) calculations using Pulay's force method and the 4-21G basis set. The most stable conformation of this compound has a symmetry plane which contains all the heavy atoms; it is stabilized by hydrogen bonds between the NH2 group and the carbonyl oxygen; it corresponds to the most stable, stretched form of free glycine. The structural parameters in the different conformations can vary significantly (bond distance by more than 0.02 Å and bond angles by up to 15°). The structural changes which are caused in glycine by esterification are discussed and some of them are interpreted in terms of hyperconjugative π-electron delocalization. |
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