Abstract
The molecular structure of cyclobutylmethyl ketone (c-$C_4H_7COCH_3$) has been investigated by molecular mechanics II (MM2). For the monosubstituted cyclobutane there are two possible ring conformations, the equatorial and axial form, but for the cyclobutylmethyl ketone the equatorial form is predominant conformation. For the $COCH_3$ moiety there are two stable orientations which are the equatorial-gauche and the equatorial-trans form. The equatorial-gauche form where the C = O bond is nearly eclipsing (torsional angle ${\angle}C4-C3-C2-O10=14.5^{\circ}$) one of the ${\alpha}$C-C bonds of the four-membered ring was preferred conformer with steric energy of 13.37 kcal/mol. The equatorial-trans form where the C = O bond is nearly eclipsing (${\angle}C4-C3-C2-O10=145.0^{\circ}$) the ${\alpha}$ C-H bond of the four-membered ring was less stable conformer with steric energy of 15.40 kcal/mol.
