¹³C-¹H coupling constants as a conformational tool for structural assignment of quinic and octulosonic acid

A complete set of NMR coupling constants (¹J_C-H, ²J_C-H, ³J_C-H, and ³J_H-H) were calculated for the eight stereoisomers of quinic acid, at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p)/PCM(methanol) level of theory. The Fermi contact term of the coupling constants was computed with a modified, uncontracted, version of the 6-311G(d,p) basis set, with additional tight polarization functions. ¹H and ¹³C NMR chemical shifts were determined at the same level using the gauge-invariant atomic orbital (GIAO) method. The magnitude of the spin-spin coupling constants was found to be affected by the orientation (axial or equatorial) of the coupling proton and the orientation of the hydroxy group on the coupling carbon, whereas the chemical shifts depend on the presence or absence of electron-withdrawing hydroxy groups attached to the carbon atoms involved. Graphical Abstract Nuclear magnetic resonance coupling constants, computed with density functional theory, can be used to differentiate and identify the different stereoisomers of quinic acid.