Fluorinated Rings: Conformation and Application

The introduction of fluorine atoms into molecules and materials across many fields of academic and industrial research is now commonplace, owing to their unique properties. A particularly interesting feature is the impact of fluorine substitution on the relative orientation of a C-F bond when incorporated into organic molecules. In this Review, we will be discussing the conformational behavior of fluorinated aliphatic carbo- and heterocyclic systems. The conformational preference of each system is associated with various interactions introduced by fluorine substitution such as charge-dipole, dipole-dipole, and hyperconjugative interactions. The contribution of each interaction on the stabilization of the fluorinated alicyclic system, which manifests itself in low conformations, will be discussed in detail. The novelty of this feature will be demonstrated by presenting the most recent applications.

Understanding the Conformational Behavior of Fluorinated Piperidines: The Origin of the Axial-F Preference

Gaining an understanding of the conformational behavior of fluorinated compounds would allow for expansion of the current molecular design toolbox. In order to facilitate drug discovery efforts, a systematic survey of a series of diversely substituted and protected fluorinated piperidine derivatives has been carried out using NMR spectroscopy. Computational investigations reveal that, in addition to established delocalization forces such as charge–dipole interactions and hyperconjugation, solvation and solvent polarity play a major role. This work codifies a new design principle for conformationally rigid molecular scaffolds.

Matrix isolation infrared spectroscopic and theoretical study of 1,1,1-trifluoro-2-chloroethane (HCFC-133a)

The molecular structure and infrared spectrum of the atmospheric pollutant 1,1,1-trifluoro-2-chloroethane (HCFC-133a; CF3CH2Cl) in the ground electronic state were characterized experimentally and theoretically. Excited state calculations (at the CASSCF, MR-CISD, and MR-CISD+Q levels) have also been performed in the range up to ~9.8 eV. The theoretical calculations show the existence of one (staggered) conformer, which has been identified spectroscopically for the monomeric compound isolated in cryogenic (~10 K) argon and xenon matrices. The observed infrared spectra of the matrix-isolated HCFC-133a were interpreted with the aid of MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ calculations and normal coordinate analysis, which allowed a detailed assignment of the observed spectra to be carried out, including identification of bands due to different isotopologues ((35)Cl and (37)Cl containing molecules). The calculated energies of the several excited states along with the values of oscillator strengths and previous results obtained for CFCs and HCFCs suggest that the previously reported photolyses of the title compound at 147 and 123.6 nm [T. Ichimura, A. W. Kirk, and E. Tschuikow-Roux, J. Phys. Chem. 81, 1153 (1977)] are likely to be initiated in the n-4s and n-4p Rydberg states, respectively.