Influence of substituents on the through-space shielding of aromatic rings

A series of naphthalene derivatives, bearing a methyl group and a substituted phenyl ring in a 1,8-relationship, have been synthesized. The chemical shifts of the protons of the methyl group, which are pointed toward the shielding zone of the phenyl ring, were monitored as the phenyl substituents were varied. This work indicates that the shielding effect of the phenyl ring is not so severely altered by the substituents as to significantly influence the chemical shift of the methyl group. Nonetheless, within the small changes observed experimentally, there appears to be a tendency for electron-withdrawing X to shift the methyl signal downfield, whereas electron-donating X-groups cause a more upfield shift. Polarization and field effects are discussed as possible causes for this phenomenon. Chemical shifts computed for selected members of the series, using the recently published procedures of Rablen and Bally, are in agreement with the experimentally observed trends.