“…The previous experimental ,,− and computational ,,,,− studies on a variety of RC(X)YR′ species indicate that the Z conformation is preferred over the E conformation (Chart ), although the difference in stability varies with the R and R′ substituents. The IR and (resonance) Raman investigations of methyl acetate H 3 CC(O)OCH 3 , S -methyl thioacetate H 3 CC(O)SCH 3 , , O -methylthioacetate H 3 CC(S)OCH 3 , and methyl dithioacetate H 3 CC(S)SCH 3 ,, also suggest that all of the heavy atoms lie in the same plane. In agreement with these results and those from earlier computational work on H 3 CC(O)OCH 3 , , H 3 CC(O)SCH 3 , − and H 3 CC(S)OCH 3 , the G2 and G3 results for these compounds show that the Z conformer, with C S symmetry, is the more stable of the two conformers (Table ).…”