Phosphorinane and enol rings in one molecule. Evidence for reciprocal stabilization of half-chair conformations

The X-ray crystal structure of 2-(2′,4′-dioxo-3′-pentyl)-5,5-dimethyl-2-oxo-1,3,2- dioxaphosphorinane (2) reveals significant half-chair distortion of the axially oriented cis-enol ring. The molecule also undergoes in-plane deformations. R(O...O) = 2.410 Å in the enol moiety indicates a very strong hydrogen bonding. The enol content, δ OH and thermodynamic parameters for the axial-equatorial conformational and keto-enol equilibriums were obtained from 1H, 31P NMR and IR measurements in comparison with the planar 4,6-dimethyl isomer (1) containing equatorially oriented enol ring. The X-ray single crystal structure of 5,5-dimethyl-2-(methoxycarbonyl-3′-oxo-2′-butyl)-2-oxo-1,3,2- dioxaphosphorinane (3) reveals the unusual half-chair conformation of the dioxaphosphorinane cycle disposed a trans-enol ring substituent. 1H, 31P NMR and IR solution data support the same structure displays a strong conformational preference while the minor forms are chair conformers with an axial or equatorial cis-enol ring