Factors that decide the levels of conformational communication in benzanilides have been revealed by chemists in the UK.

Jonathan Clayden and colleagues at the University of Manchester have been studying amide-based atropisomers. These systems consist of two large aromatic groups connected through a rigid amide bond. These bulky groups mean that rotation about the Ar-CO bond is slow, and so the molecule can adopt different conformations.

Clayden has now investigated a series of benzanilides, varying the components attached to the amide, to investigate the level of communication between the components. The experiments showed that, for simple systems, high levels of control can be seen, with one conformer highly favoured over the others. However, for more complex structures, mixtures of conformers are likely to occur.

James Mitchell Crow