The Raman optical activity of pinane as compared with (-)α- and (-)β-pinene: the perspective of intramolecular enantiomerism

Abstract The Raman and Raman optical activity (ROA) spectra of chiral pinane were analyzed by a bond polarizability algorithm. By the differential bond polarizability, the chirality of pinane is compared with our previous results of (-)α- and (-)β-pinene to show the intramolecular enantiomerism. The intramolecular enantiomerism implies the existence of an approximate mirror symmetry. This symmetry is most destroyed by the on-ring C-C double in (-)_α-pinene. This leads to the decrease of ROA from (-)α-pinene, (-)β-pinene to pinane. Variation of differential bond polarizabilities also follows this trend. This comparison demonstrates the chiral behavior and the roles of the asymmetric centers of (-)α-, (-)β-pinene and pinane from a spectroscopic viewpoint.