Sensing the Molecular Structures of Hexan-2-one by Internal Rotation and Microwave Spectroscopy.

Using two molecular jet Fourier transform spectrometers, the microwave spectrum of hexan-2-one, also called methyl n-butyl ketone, was recorded in the frequency range from 2 to 40 GHz. Three conformers were assigned and fine splittings caused by the internal rotations of the two terminal methyl groups were analyzed. For the acetyl methyl group CH3 COC3 H6 CH3 , the torsional barrier is 186.9198(50) cm-1 , 233.5913(97) cm-1 , and 182.2481(25) cm-1 for the three observed conformers, respectively. The value of this parameter could be linked to the structure of the individual conformer, which enabled us to create a rule for predicting the barrier height of the acetyl methyl torsion in ketones. The very small splittings arising from the internal rotation of the butyl methyl group CH3 COC3 H6 CH3 could be resolved as well, yielding the respective torsional barriers of 979.99(88) cm-1 , 1016.30(77) cm-1 , and 961.9(32) cm-1 .