SPECTROSCOPIC STUDIES OF KETO–ENOL EQUILIBRIA: PART 2. ANOMALOUS ULTRAVIOLET ABSORPTION SPECTRA OF SATURATED 1,2-DICYANO ESTERS

1,2-Dicyano esters show an absorption band around 245 mμ in alcoholic solutions which is not found in non-polar and other polar solvents. This anomalous behavior has been found to be due to the unusual solvent dependence of the equilibrium between the keto and enol forms. The intensity of the absorption band in alcoholic solutions decreases with increase in concentration of the 1,2-dicyano ester, indicating association of the enol form. The keto–enol equilibrium is also found to be sensitive to the substituent R of the alcohol ROH.