The conformation of 4-phenylcyclohexanone in solution by 1H- and 13C-Lanthanide induced shift (L.I.S.) analysis : Evidence in favour of phenyl over t-butyl as a conformational lock

The degree of pucker of the cyclohexanone ring in 4-phenylcyclohexanone has been refined by L.I.S. analysis. The results indicate puckering intermediate between that in cyclohexanone and 4-t-butylcyclohexanone, suggesting that phenyl may be preferable to t-butyl as a locking group in conformational analysis. The Yb (fod)3 shift reagent, although binding primarily at the carbonyl oxygen atom, also complexes weakly with the phenyl group.