Electronic structure and conformational properties of (carboxy-alkenyl)-phosphonic acids

The general conformational properties and electronic structure of (carboxy-alkenyl)-phosphonic derivatives were determined at RHF/STO-3G^* level. In all the series, low rotation barriers were found for the two C=C/P=O conformers. In the compounds in which the interactions between the carboxylic and phosphonic moieties are smaller, the most stable conformers are the C=C/P=O s-cis ones. In most of the conformers, the C=C/C=O system presents the disposition s-cis. The Z-(2-carboxy-vinyl) and Z-(2-carboxy-propenyl) phosphonic acids present intramolecular hydrogen bonds, existing in at least four conformer with internal hydrogen bonds. These last compounds were more rigorously studied at RHF/3-21G^* and RHF/6-31G^** levels. The most stable conformer shows a trans structure for the C=C/P=O angle, with an intramolecular hydrogen bond located between the hydroxylic hydrogen of phosphonic group and the carbonyl oxygen of carboxylic moiety. A secondary conformer is found with a double intramolecular hydrogen bond between two hydroxylic hydrogens of the phosphonic moiety and the oxygen of carboxylic bond. Another secondary conformer appears with an intramolecular hydrogen bond between the oxygen of the phosphoryl bond and the hydroxylic hydrogen of the carboxylic group. A study of the topology of charge densities is carried out. This analysis reveals bonds with an ionic participation. A very weak π conjugation, variable with the conformers, is found in the C=C/P=O system, as well as a strongly polarized P=O partial triple bond. The intramolecular hydrogen bonds give rise to cyclic structures.