Phase-dependent conformation selection of axial and equatorial forms of iodocyclopentane

We have obtained Raman spectra for neat liquid iodocyclopentane and for two types of solid phases. Ab initio calculations were done to help elucidate the Raman band assignments to either the axial or equatorial conformations of iodocyclopentane. The liquid Raman spectrum displays bands for both axial and equatorial conformations of iodocyclopentane while the two solid phases exhibit a strong preference for either the axial conformation for the annealed solid phase or the equatorial conformation for the unannealed solid phase. We discuss the possible utility for using this phase-dependent conformation selection to examine the conformation dependence of solid-state photochemical reactions.