Principal component analysis is applied to α-monosubstituted phenyl acetates (Y-CH2CO2Ph) where the observed chemical shifts for the a-carbon atom, the carbonyl carbon, and the α-hydrogen atoms are correlated with theoretically derived molecular properties. The effects on H-1 and C-13 NMR chemical shifts of 11 α-substituents (F, Cl, Br, I, OMe, OEt, SEt, NMe2, NEt2, Me, and Et) were investigated. A strong grouping of the same heteroatom substituents is observed, showing the chemical shift dependence on the type of substituent. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.72341699245248