Analysis of the Tautomeric Properties of 2-Formylcyclopentane-1,3-Dione Using the Data of IR Spectroscopy and Nonempirical (ab initio and DFT) Quantum-Chemical Calculations

The tautomerism, spectral properties, and properties of intramolecular hydrogen bonds in 2-formylcyclopentane-1,3-dione (FCPD) have been investigated by the methods of nonempirical quantum chemistry (calculations by the ab initio and DFT methods) and IR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. It is shown that FCPD in a crystalline form, as also does malonic dialdehyde, exists as self-associated enolized molecules with an open chelate ring. It is found that in solutions in CCl₄ the compound investigated exists as an equilibrium mixture of its exo- and endoenolic forms, with predominance of the former. The IR spectra of the solutions of FCPD in CCl₄ fix the presence of small amounts of the associate formed from the anionic and protonated forms of the substance. For the first time, the energies of the intramolecular H bonds of the endo- and exoenolic tautomeric forms in FCPD have been estimated theoretically. They appeared to be equal to 3.69 and 4.91 kcal·mole^–1, respectively. The possible mechanisms of enol-enolic interconversions of FCPD have been discussed.