Comparative Analysis of IR and Vibrational Circular Dichroism Spectra for a Series of Camphor related Molecules

The absorption spectra and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra in the mid-IR range 1600-950 cm-1 of 10 camphor-related compounds have been recorded and compared to DFT calculated spectra at the B3PW91/TZ2P level and have been examined together with the corresponding data of the parent molecules. The rigidity of the bridged structure common to all compounds investigated permits (a) identification of three spectroscopic regions in the mid-IR range that can be “used” separately by the interested stereochemist for structural diagnosis and assignment of some major characteristics of the VCD spectra in these regions to what we call “skeletal chiral sense” and (b) recognition of possible conformers for flexible substituent groups, when present. VCD spectra of the 10 molecules have been recorded and analyzed also in the CH-stretching region, 3100-2800 cm-1. Here, we have been able to identify and characterize features of vibrational excitons by comparison of data within the 10-molecule class. To find a theoretical justification of result (a), we have examined the potential energy distribution of the normal modes in the mid-IR range, the partitioning of the calculated rotational strengths in terms of contributions from all couples of internal coordinates, the angle formed by the two vectors, the electric dipole transition moment and the magnetic dipole transition moment, and finally the overlap of normal modes of different molecules. A discussion is provided as to the usability of the introduced algorithms.