Conformational and vibrational analysis with the aid of normal coordinate calculations

Many organic compounds exist as equilibrium mixtures of two or more molecular conformations, and vibrational spectroscopy can be used to obtain information about the structure of those conformations. Normal coordinate calculations are often an aid to those conformational studies and to making vibrational assignments for the different conformers. However, sometimes those calculations are partially inconclusive, and a few results are briefly discussed in which both conclusive and inconclusive results were obtained from calculations. Calculations are then applied to some 1,2-dichloro- and 1,2-dibromo-alkanes. Previous calculations on 1,2-dichloropropane and 1,2-dichlorobutane are revised, and calculations are reported for 1,2-dibromopropane, 1,2-dibromopropane-d₆, and 1,2-dibromobutane. Spectra are given for the last two of these compounds. A modified valence force field was determined for each family of 1,2-dihaloalkane that should be transferable to other members of the family.