A circular dichroism study of the following phenylcyclohexane derivatives has been carried out: (lS,-2R)-( +)-truns-2-phenylcyclohexanol, (1S,2R)-( +)-trans-2-phenylcyclohexylamine, (1S,2S)-( +)-trms-2-phenylcyclohexanecarboxylic acid, (1S,2S)-(+)-trms-2-phenylcyclohexanecarbonyl chloride, (lS,2S)-(+)-rrans-l-hydroxymethyl-2-phenylcyclohexane, (1R,2R)-( -)-cis-2-phenylcyclohexanol, and (1R,2R)-( -)-cis-2-phenylcyclohexyl-amine. The absolute configuration of (+)-trans-2-phenylcyclohexanecarboxylic acid was determined by its oxidation cleavage to (1S,2S)-( +)-truns-l,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid. Variable temperature nmr measurements indicate that the compounds exist almost exclusively in the conformation having the phenyl group equatorial. Infrared hydrogen-bonding studies are reported for the alcohols in the series. The Cotton effects appearing in the 210-220-nm region are considered to be primarily associated with the IL, transition of the aromatic ring. It is proposed that CD Cotton effects due to this transition in appropriate phenyl-containing compounds may be characterized by typical widths at half-height of 10-20 nm. A quadrant rule is formulated for the sign of the 'La Cotton effect in monosubstituted benzene derivatives. hiroptical methods, as Prelog3 terms optical ro-