Conformational analysis—II: A lanthanide-induced shift nmr and theoretical study of bicyclo [3.1.0] hexan-3-one and adamantanone

The solution conformation of bicyclo [3.1.0] hexan-3-one has been obtained by the use of the shifts induced in its ¹H and ¹³C NMR by Yb(fod)₃. Refinement of the angle of pucker, ∝, of the 5-membered ring indicates that the molecule adopts a flattened boat conformation with ∝ = 195°. This prediction is supported by ab initio, STO-3G, calculations on the isolated molecule. Use of a two- or four-site model for lanthanide-substrate complexing adequately reproduces the experimental data whereas a one-site binding model is unsatisfactory. The importance of multi-site binding is further emphasised by results for the C_2v-symmetric ketone, adamantanone, where only a four-site model gives satisfactory agreement between observed and calculated lanthanide-induced shifts.