A density functional theory (DFT) study of the 1H- and 13C-NMR chemical shifts of the geometric isomers of 18:2 ω-7 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and nine model compounds is presented, using five functionals and two basis sets. The results are compared with available experimental data from solution high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The experimental 1H chemical shifts exhibit highly diagnostic resonances due to the olefinic protons of the conjugated double bonds. The "inside" olefinic protons of the conjugated double bonds are deshielded than those of the "outside" protons. Furthermore, in the cis/trans isomers, the signals of the cis bonds are more deshielded than those of the trans bonds. These regularities of the experimental 1H chemical shifts of the olefinic protons of the conjugated double bonds are reproduced very accurately for the lowest energy DFT optimized single conformer, for all functionals and basis sets used. The other low energy conformers have negligible effects on the computational 1H-NMR chemical shifts. We conclude that proton NMR chemical shifts are more discriminating than carbon, and DFT calculations can provide a valuable tool for (i) the accurate prediction of 1H-NMR chemical shifts even with less demanding functionals and basis sets; (ii) the unequivocal identification of geometric isomerism of CLAs that occur in nature, and (iii) to derive high resolution structures in solution.
Keywords: CLA; DFT; GIAO; NMR; chemical shifts.