On the Origin of the Bohlmann Bands

Abstract

A perturbational molecular orbital analysis has been performed of the strengths of the CH bonds of methylamine and methanol in their staggered conformations. This analysis leads to the prediction that a CH bond anti-coplanar to a directed lone pair is stronger than a gauche CH bond, and is in disagreement with experimental observation. The origin of the disagreement is to be found in the underestimation of the role of the nuclear–nuclear contribution to the bond strengths. Abinitio computation of the gauche and anti stretching force constants of methylamine provides quantitative theoretical support for the view that these differ because of a nuclear-dominated effect. It is suggested that effects, analogous to those observed in the Bohlmann bands, may be seen even in the absence of nonbonded electron pairs.