Evidence for steric enhancement of resonance in some benzene derivatives is obtained from their diamagnetic susceptibilities. Conjugative interaction of substituents in the benzene ring results in a decrease in diamagnetic susceptibility. For 2-methyl-4-nitroanisole and 2-halogeno-4-nitroanisoles the observed diamagnetic susceptibilities are significantly lower than the expected value, indicating that the 2-substituent in these compounds enhances the resonance interaction of the 1,4-substituents. Interestingly, the diamagnetic susceptibility data also show steric inhibition of resonance in 2,6-disubstituted-4-nitroanisoles. 2-Methyl-4-nitrothioanisole seems to exhibit a behaviour similar to that of its oxygen analogue, though the evidence for steric enhancement of resonance in this case is not beyond doubt. 2,6-Dimethyl-4-nitrothioanisole, however, convincingly shows the expected steric inhibition of resonance. The diamagnetic susceptibilities of 3-substituted-4-methoxyacetophenones also furnish further evidence for steric enhancement of resonance.

The dipole moments of a number of substituted benzaldehydes are measured in benzene solution. The angle which the dipole axis of the CHO group makes with the axis of rotation of the group is determined. The observed moments of the ortho-substituted benzaldehydes are compared with the moments calculated for free rotation as well as fors-trans ands-cis orientations of the -CHO group.o-Fluorobenzaldehyde exists mostly in thes-trans conformation.o-Chloro-,o-bromo-ando-nitro-benzaldehydcs also exist in thes-trans conformation; their observed dipole moments are even lower than the values calculated fors-trans forms, indicating mutual induction of the ortho substituents. Though 2,5-dichlorobenzaldehyde is expected to have the same dipole moment as benzaldehyde, the observed moment is significantly lower due to mutual induction of the ortho substituents. 2,5-Dimethylbcnzaldehyde has, however, almost the same moment as benzaldehyde. The dipole moment ofo-methoxybcnzaldchyde is considerably higher than the values calculated for boths-cis ands-trans conformations. An explanation is given for this.o-Hydroxybenzaldehyde exists exclusively in thes-cis form due to internal H-bonding.

The dipole moments of thirteen aryl styryl sulphides and eleven aryl styryl sulphones have been determined. Among them are eightcis-trans isomeric pairs, four sulphides and four sulphones. The styryl group is found to conjugate with the sulphide function as an electron-withdrawing group. The angles which the styrylthio and styrylsulphonyl groups make with their axes of rotation are calculated. The observed dipole moments of the sulphides and sulphones are compared with the moments calculated by the vector addition of group moments. The dipole moments ofcis aryl styryl sulphides and sulphones are found to be generally lower than those of theirtrans isomers. An explanation is offered attributing the cause to sterically enhanced styryl-sulphur conjugation in thecis isomers.