Conformational studies of aliphatic secondary ozonides (propene, 1-butene and 1-heptene) by means of FTIR spectroscopy

Ozonization reaction of simple alkenes was studied by means of FT infrared absorption gas spectroscopy. The reaction was performed at 95 K in neat films of the reactants. IR absorption spectra of the gaseous products were recorded. The spectra were analyzed combining experimental results with theoretical calculations performed at B3LYP 6-311++G (3df, 3pd) level. We found that among all theoretically predicted conformers of propene secondary ozonide, only one which has the O-O half-chair configuration for the five membered ring and the radical attached in the equatorial position was present in the sample. Samples of 1-butene and 1-heptene secondary ozonides consist from two conformers of very similar energy (Delta H=0.3 kJ/mol). The most stable conformer for both ozonides is the one with O-O half-chair configuration of the five membered ring and the radical attached in equatorial position and the aliphatic chain in gauche position. The second stable conformer has the aliphatic chain in anti position.