Molecular structure and internal dynamics of the antioxidant 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol

Antioxidants are a class of chemical compounds with particular chemico-physical properties that make them suitable for reducing oxidative stress. In this work we report the rotational spectroscopy analysis of the antioxidant 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol in a jet expansion. The rotational spectrum reveals both fine and hyperfine tunnelling components. The largest spectral doubling consists of two distinct groups of lines separated by similar to 190 MHz, and is due to the torsional motion associated with the hydroxyl group. Each component of the doublet is further split into three fine components, with separations below 1 MHz. The spectrum was reproduced with a two-state torsion-rotation semirigid Hamiltonian for each pair of torsional states. Additional observation of all the singly-substituted C-13 isotopologues allowed to determine the substitution structure by means of the Kraitchman equations. The comparison with the equilibrium structure obtained by computational calculations at B3LYP-D3BJ/def2-TZVP level validate the accurate determination of the carbon skeleton and tert-butyl group positions. The investigation of intramolecular dynamics with a monodimensional flexible model demonstrates that the tunnelling phenomenon arises from the hydroxyl group's equivalent positions, with a double-minimum potential separated by a barrier of 1000(100) cm(-1) allowing for this large amplitude motion. However, the threefold fine structurte, while plausibly associated to internal motions within the tert-butyl group, will require further exploration.