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Published on: June 4, 2021
13C NMR-Based Approaches for Solving Challenging Stereochemical Problems.
Ikenna E Ndukwe1, Andrew Brunskill1, Donald R Gauthier1
1Analytical Research & Development , Merck & Co. Inc. , Rahway , New Jersey 07065 , United States.
Determining proton-deficient molecule configurations is difficult with standard NMR. New methods using 13C NMR shifts, couplings, and density functional theory offer solutions, even for single stereoisomers.
Area of Science:
- Organic Chemistry
- Spectroscopy
- Computational Chemistry
Background:
- Conventional Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) methods like Nuclear Overhauser Effect (NOE) and J-based Configuration Analysis (JBCA) struggle with proton-deficient molecules.
- These challenges are amplified when only a single stereoisomer is accessible, hindering structural determination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present alternative NMR-based strategies for determining the configuration of proton-deficient molecules.
- To demonstrate the utility of these methods even when dealing with limited stereoisomers.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing 13C NMR chemical shifts.
- Measuring 13C-13C homonuclear couplings at natural abundance.
- Employing residual chemical shift anisotropy (RCSA) measurements.
- Integrating density functional theory (DFT) calculations.
Main Results:
- The study illustrates a novel approach for structural elucidation of challenging molecular configurations.
- Successful application of the combined spectroscopic and computational methods to a proton-deficient model compound.
Conclusions:
- Alternative NMR techniques combined with DFT calculations provide a viable solution for determining configurations of proton-deficient molecules.
- This approach overcomes limitations of traditional NMR methods, especially in cases with single stereoisomers.
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