13C NMR study of the structures of some acyclic and cyclic ketene acetals

A ¹³C NMR study of the spatial structures of some acyclic and cyclic ketene acetals (for example, ketene dimethyl acetal and 2-methylene-1,3-dioxolane) has been carried out. The conclusions obtained are based on observation of the effect of structural changes on the ¹³C NMR chemical shift of the β carbon on the ketene moity. Since the extent of p-π conjugation and hence the ¹³C chemical shift of this carbon depend on the spatial orientation of the alkoxy groups about the O-C(sp²) bonds, the shift concerned may be used as a measure of the planarity of the system. The most stable retamers of ketene dimethyl acetal are s-cis,s-cis (planar) and s-cis,gauche (slightly nonplanar), in the order of decreasing stability. For ketene dialkyl acetals, the relative stability of the planar s-cis,s-cis form decreases with increasing bulkiness of the alkyl groups, but at least for primary and secondary alkyl groups, the s-cis,s-cis rotamer appears to be the most favored species. The conformations of 5- to 8-membered cyclic ketene acetals are discussed and compared with those of the corresponding cyclic vinyl ethers and hydrocarbons.