The conformation and vibrational spectra of trans-1,4-dicyanocyclohexane

The IR spectra of trans-1,4-dicyanocyclohexane as a melt, as a solute in various solvents, as KI and polyethylene pellets and as amorphous and annealed crystalline solids at 90 K have been recorded in the region 4000-50 cm^?1. Additional spectra at high pressures (1–50 kbar) have been recorded and the dichroic ratios of oriented polycrystalline films are obtained above 200 cm^?1. Raman spectra of the compound as a melt, as an amorphous and crystalline solid at 90 K and dissolved in acetone, chloroform and benzene have also been recorded.The compound exists as an equilibrium mixture of ee and aa conformers in solution, in the melt and in the amorphous solid at 90 K, but as one conformer only, apparently the ee form, in the crystalline state. Unlike the corresponding dihalocyclohexanes, trans-1,4-dicyanocyclohexane cannot be converted to an “aa crystal” either by exposure to high pressure or by annealing to a metastable crystal.The fundamental frequencies of both conformers have been interpreted in terms of C_2h molecular symmetry and the assignments supported with a force constant calculation by the overlay technique transferring force constants from various related molecules.