Intrinsic information content of NMR dipolar couplings: a conformational investigation of 1,3-butadiene in a nematic phase

The conformational equilibrium of 1,3-butadiene in a condensed fluid phase is investigated by liquid-crystal NMR spectroscopy. The full set of DHH and DCH dipolar couplings is determined from the analysis of the 1H spectra of the three 1,3-butadiene mostabundant isotopomers (i.e. the all 12C and the two single-labeled 13C isotopomers) for a total of 21 independent dipolar couplings. A very good starting set of spectral parameters for the analysis of the 1H spectrum is determined in a semiautomated way by the analysis of the (N1) (specifically, N=6, the number of 1/2 spin nuclei in the spin system) quantum refocused (5QR), and not (5Q), spectra. As an alternative approach, a Monte Carlo (MC) numerical simulation, capable of predicting the solute ordering, is tested to simulate the 5QR spectrum. The set of Dij couplings is very good, proving that the MC method can represent a novel, valid alternative to the existing spectral simplification procedures. The experimentally determined dipolar-coupling data set is fully compatible with the 1,3-butadiene conformational distribution reported in the literature for isolated molecules, indicating the presence of about 99% of s-trans conformer. With regards to the remaining 1%, in spite of the direct and very strong dependence of the observables on the molecular structure, it was not possible to discriminate between the planar s-cis and s-gauche forms, both of which produce a very good fit of the dipolar couplings. Vibrational corrections, up to the anharmonic term, were applied; the calculated geometrical parameters are in good— although not exact—agreement with those reported in the literature from experimental and theoretical investigations. This result can be considered as supporting the methodology used for obtaining the structure and conformational distribution of a flexible molecule in a liquid phase.