MICROWAVE AND AB-INITIO STUDY OF THE CONFORMATIONAL PROPERTIES OF 3-FURANMETHANOL

The microwave spectra of 3-furanmethanol and one deuterated species (h ydroxyl group) have been investigated in the 26.5 39.5 GHz spectral re gion at 5-degrees-C. One conformer was assigned. This rotamer prefers a skew arrangement for the C = C-C-O chain of atoms while the H-O-C-C atoms take a gauche conformation. This allows the molecule to form a w eak intramolecular hydrogen bond between the hydrogen atom of the hydr oxyl group and the pi-electrons of the nearest double bond. This confo rmer is estimated to be at least 3 kJ mol-1 more stable than any furth er rotameric form. The microwave work has been assisted by ab initio c omputations at the 6-31G and MP2/6-31G* levels of theory.