1H NMR Measurement of the Trans-Cis Photoisomerization of Cinnamic Acid Derivatives

Abstract

1H NMR spectroscopy was used to follow the course of the photochemical conversion of methyl p-hydroxy-trans-cinnamate to the thermodynamically less stable cis isomer. Integration of the new olefinic cis proton doublet (5.66 ppm, J = 12.9 Hz), which was then compared to the trans isomer (6.15 ppm, J = 15.9 Hz), allowed the determination of the relative amounts of these two isomers.