A Theoretical Investigation of Indole Tautomers

Ab initio Hartree-Fock and density functional theory calculations were carried out to investigate the structures, energies, and vibrational spectra of indole and two of its hydrogen migration tautomers. The calculated results of indole are in good agreement with experiments. Rotational constants and infrared spectral features of 2H-indole and 3H-indole are predicted to assist future experimental identification of the two tautomers. Transition states of unimolecular isomerization among the three tautomers are also optimized and activation barriers of the isomerization reactions evaluated. The results indicate that unimolecular indole → 3H-indole proceeds via 2H-indole with an activation barrier of 51 kcal/mol