Conformation and vibrational spectra of 1,5-hexadiyne (bipropargyl) and 1,5-hexadiyne-1,6-d2

The infrared spectra of 1,5-hexadiyne (bipropargyl) and 1,5-hexadiyne-1,6-d₂ as vapours, liquids, as solutes in various solvents and as crystalline solids at low temperatures and at high pressures have been recorded. Raman spectra were obtained for the liquids, including semiquantitative polarization measurements, and for the low temperature crystals.The data were interpreted in terms of two conformers, anti and gauche, in the vapour and liquid state and one, the anti, in the crystalline forms. A phase transition for 1,5-hexadiyne was observed at ca. 240 K. Both the high and low temperature crystals had molecules in the anti conformer.Interpretation of the spectra in terms of conformational equilibria was facilitated by a thorough vapour phase band contour analysis. With a few exceptions, all the vibrational fundamentals for both conformers were assigned and found to be in good agreement with results from normal coordinate calculations.