Structural Determination of Menthol and Isomenthol, a Minty Compound and Its Nonminty Isomer, by Means of Gas Electron Diffraction Augmented by Theoretical Calculations

Polymorphism and thermophysical properties of L- and DL-menthol

The thermodynamic properties, phase behavior, and kinetics of polymorphic transformations of racemic (DL-) and enantiopure (L-) menthol were studied using a combination of advanced experimental techniques, including static vapor pressure measurements, adiabatic calorimetry, Tian-Calvet calorimetry, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and variable-temperature X-ray powder diffraction. Several concomitant polymorphs (α, β, γ, and δ forms) were observed and studied. A continuous transformation to the stable α form was detected by DSC and monitored in detail using X-ray powder diffraction. A long-term coexistence of the stable crystalline form with the liquid phase was observed. The vapor pressure measurements of both compounds were performed using two static apparatus over a temperature range from 274 K to 363 K. Condensed-phase heat capacities were measured by adiabatic and Tian-Calvet calorimetry in the wide temperature interval from 5 K to 368 K. Experimental data of L- and DL-menthol are compared mutually as well as with available literature results. The thermodynamic functions of crystalline and liquid L-menthol between 0 K and 370 K were calculated from the calorimetric results. The thermodynamic properties in the ideal-gas state were obtained by combining statistical thermodynamics and quantum chemical calculations based on a thorough conformational analysis. Calculated ideal-gas heat capacities and experimental data on vapor pressure and condensed-phase heat capacity were treated simultaneously to obtain a consistent thermodynamic description. Based on the obtained results, the phase diagrams of L-menthol and DL-menthol were suggested.

Exploring the conformational landscape of menthol, menthone, and isomenthone: a microwave study

The rotational spectra of the monoterpenoids menthol, menthone, and isomenthone are reported in the frequency range of 2–8.5 GHz, obtained with broadband Fourier-transform microwave spectroscopy. For menthol only one conformation was identified under the cold conditions of the molecular jet, whereas three conformations were observed for menthone and one for isomenthone. The conformational space of the different molecules was extensively studied using quantum chemical calculations, and the results were compared with molecular parameters obtained by the measurements. Finally, a computer program is presented, which automatically identifies different species in a dense broadband microwave spectrum using calculated ab initio rotational constants as initial input parameters.

1H NMR spectra of alcohols and diols in chloroform: DFT/GIAO calculation of chemical shifts

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) shifts of aliphatic alcohols in chloroform have been computed on the basis of density functional theory, the solvent being included by the integral-equation-formalism polarisable continuum model of Gaussian 09. Relative energies of all conformers are calculated at the Perdew, Burke and Ernzerhof (PBE)0/6-311+G(d,p) level, and NMR shifts by the gauge-including atomic orbital method with the PBE0/6-311+G(d,p) geometry and the cc-pVTZ basis set. The 208 computed CH proton NMR shifts for 34 alcohols correlate very well with the experimental values, with a gradient of 1.00 ± 0.01 and intercept close to zero; the overall root mean square difference (RMSD) is 0.08 ppm. Shifts for CH protons of diols in chloroform are well correlated with the theoretical values for (isotropic) benzene, with similar gradient and intercept (1.02 ± 0.01, -0.13 ppm), but the overall RMSD is slightly higher, 0.12 ppm. This approach generally gives slightly better results than the CHARGE model of Abraham et al. The shifts of unsaturated alcohols in benzene have been re-examined with Gaussian 09, but the overall fit for CH protons is not improved, and OH proton shifts are worse. Shifts of vinyl protons in alkenols are systematically overestimated, and the correlation of computed shifts against the experimental data for unsaturated alcohols follows a quadratic equation. Splitting the 20 compounds studied into two sets, and applying empirical scaling based on the quadratic for the first set to the second set, gives an RMSD of 0.10 ppm. A multi-standard approach gives a similar result.

Enantiomeric differentiation of oxygenated p-menthane derivatives by 13C NMR using Yb(hfc)3

The (13)C NMR behaviour of 21 p-menthanic terpene bearing an oxygenated function (alcohol, ketone, acetate) was examined in the presence of a chiral lanthanide shift reagent (Yb(hfc)(3)). For each monocyclic compound, we measured the lanthanide-induced shift (LIS) on the signals of the carbons and the splitting of signals allowing the enantiomeric differentiation. Some general features were found about their LIS behaviour: experimental data establishing distinct patterns for carvomenthone-like compounds and menthone-like compounds. The enantiomeric splitting was observed for the majority of signals in the spectrum of each compound. In the case of alcohols and acetates, the influence of the relative stereochemistry (cis vs trans) of isopropyl(ene) and the binding function was discussed.