Proton magnetic resonance studies of compounds with bridgehead nitrogen. 37–a comparison of the positions of conformational equilibria in 1-methylperhydro-oxazolo[3,4-a]pyridines and in 1-methylperhydrothiazolo [3,4-a]pyridines

cis(1-H, 8a-H)-1-Methylperhydro-oxazolo3,4-a]pyridine and cis(1-H, 8a-H)-1-methylperhydrothiazolo3,4-a]pyridine both adopt exclusively the trans-fused conformation in carbon tetrachloride solution at room temperature. Both parent unsubstituted systems exist under similar conditions as equilibria containing c. 67% (oxazolo compound) and 64% (thiazolo compound) of the trans-fused conformation. In marked contrast to these similar positions of conformational equilibria in both systems the trans(1-H,8a-H)-1-methylperhydrooxazolo3,4-a]pyridine exists as c. 73% trans-fused in equilibrium with a cis-fused conformation whereas the trans(1-H, 8a-H)-1-methylperhydrothiazolo3,4-a]pyridine exists almost exclusively in a cis-fused ring conformation. These differences in conformational equilibria are explained in terms of changes in non-bonded interactions.