Study notes for IR spectroscopy

16-08-2018
By Dr. Rama Gaur
 Infrared Group Analysis
The four primary regions of the IR spectrum

Bonds to H Triple bonds Double bonds Single Bonds

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Region

O-H C≡C C=O C-C

N-H C≡N C=N C-N
C-H C=C C-O

4000 cm-1 2700 cm-1 2000 cm-1 1600 cm-1 600 cm-1

HIGH TREES DON’T SHADE

Focus your analysis on this region. This is where most stretching Fingerprint region: complex and difficult to
frequencies appear. interpret reliably.
Abbreviated Table of Group Frequencies for Organic Groups
Bond Type of Compound Frequency Range, cm-1 Intensity
C-H Alkanes 2850-2970 Strong
C-H Alkenes H 3010-3095 Medium
C C
675-995 strong

C-H Alkynes C C H 3300 Strong

C-H Aromatic rings 3010-3100 Medium

690-900 strong
0-H Monomeric alcohols, phenols 3590-3650 Variable
Hydrogen-bonded alchohols, phenols 3200-3600 Variable, sometimes broad
Monomeric carboxylic acids 3500-3650 Medium
Hydrogen-bonded carboxylic acids 2500-2700 broad
N-H Amines, amides 3300-3500 medium
C=C Alkenes 1610-1680 Variable
C=C Aromatic rings 1500-1600 Variable
C C Alkynes 2100-2260 Variable
C-N Amines, amides 1180-1360 Strong
C N Nitriles 2210-2280 Strong
C-O Alcohols, ethers,carboxylic acids, esters 1050-1300 Strong
C=O Aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters 1690-1760 Strong
NO2 Nitro compounds 1500-1570 Strong
1300-1370
1. Alkanes – combination of C-C and C-H bonds
Octane
• C-C stretches and bends 1360-1470 cm-1

• CH2-CH2 bond 1450-1470 cm-1

• CH2-CH3 bond 1360-1390 cm-1

• sp3 C-H between 2800-3000 cm-1

(w – s) (m)
2. Alkenes – addition of the C=C and vinyl C-H bonds 1-Octene
• C=C stretch at 1620-1680 cm-1 weaker as
substitution increases

• vinyl C-H stretch occurs at 3000-3100 cm-1

• The difference between alkane, alkene or alkyne C-H
is important! If the band is slightly above 3000 it is
vinyl sp2 C-H or alkynyl sp C-H if it is below it is alkyl
sp3 C-H

(w – m)
(w – m)
3. Alkynes – addition of the C=C and vinyl C-H bonds 1-Octyne
• C≡C stretch 2100-2260 cm-1; strength depends on
asymmetry of bond, strongest for terminal alkynes,
weakest for symmetrical internal alkynes
• C-H for terminal alkynes occurs at 3200-3300 cm-1
• Internal alkynes ( R-C≡C-R ) would not have this band!

(w-m)

(m – s)
4. Aromatics
• Due to the delocalization of e- in the ring, C-C bond
order is 1.5, the stretching frequency for these Ethyl benzene
bonds is slightly lower in energy than normal C=C
• These show up as a pair of sharp bands, 1500 &
1600 cm-1, (lower frequency band is stronger)

• C-H bonds off the ring show up similar to vinyl C-H

at 3000-3100 cm-1

(w – m) (w – m)
4. Aromatics
• If the region between 1667-2000 cm-1 (w) is free of interference (C=O stretching
frequency is in this region) a weak grouping of peaks is observed for aromatic
systems
• Analysis of this region, called the overtone of bending region, can lead to a
determination of the substitution pattern on the aromatic ring

Monosubstituted
G
G
1,2 disubstituted (ortho or o-)

G
1,2 disubstituted (meta or m-)
G
G
1,4 disubstituted (para or p-)

G
5. Unsaturated Systems – substitution patterns
• The substitution of aromatics and alkenes can also be discerned through the out-
of-plane bending vibration region
• However, other peaks often are apparent in this region. These peaks should only
be used for reinforcement of what is known or for hypothesizing as to the
functional pattern.
cm-1 cm-1
R
985-997 730-770
C CH2 905-915 R
690-710
H

R H
C C 960-980 R 735-770
H R
R
R R
C C 665-730 860-900
H H R 750-810
680-725
R
R
C CH2 885-895
R
R R 800-860
R R
C C 790-840
R H
6. Ethers – addition of the C-O-C asymmetric band and
vinyl C-H bonds Diisopropyl ether
• Show a strong band for the antisymmetric C-O-C
stretch at 1050-1150 cm-1

• Otherwise, dominated by the hydrocarbon

component of the rest of the molecule

(s)
7. Alcohols 1-butanol
• Strong, broad O-H stretch from 3200-3400 cm-1

• Like ethers, C-O stretch from 1050-1260 cm-1

• Band position changes depending on the alcohols

substitution: 1° 1075-1000; 2° 1075-1150; 3° 1100-1200;
phenol 1180-1260

• The shape is due to the presence of hydrogen bonding

(m– s)
br

(s)
8. Amines - Primary
• Shows the –N-H stretch for NH2 as a doublet 2-aminopentane
between 3200-3500 cm-1 (symmetric and anti-
symmetric modes)
• -NH2 has deformation band from 1590-1650 cm-1
• Additionally there is a “wag” band at 780-820 cm-1
that is not diagnostic

(w) (w)
9. Amines – Secondary
• N-H band for R2N-H occurs at 3200-3500 cm-1 pyrrolidine
as a single sharp peak weaker than –O-H

• Tertiary amines (R3N) have no N-H bond and

will not have a band in this region

(w – m)
Pause and Review
• Inspect the bonds to H region (2700 – 4000 cm-1)

• Peaks from 2850-3000 are simply sp3 C-H in most organic molecules

• Above 3000 cm-1 Learn shapes, not wavenumbers!:

V-shape peak
-N—H bond for 2o
Broad U-shape peak amine (R2N—H)
-O—H bond
W-shape peak
-N—H bond for 1o
amine (RNH2)
Sharp spike 3000 cm-1
-C≡C—H bond
Small peak shouldered
just above 3000 cm-1
C=C—H or Ph—H
 Cyclohexyl carboxaldehyde
10. Aldehydes
• C=O (carbonyl) stretch from 1720-1740 cm-1

• Band is sensitive to conjugation, as are all

carbonyls (upcoming slide)

• A highly unique sp2 C-H stretch appears as a

doublet, 2720 & 2820 cm-1 called a “Fermi doublet”

(w-m)

(s)
 3-methyl-2-pentanone
11. Ketones
• Simplest of the carbonyl compounds as far as IR
spectrum – carbonyl only

• C=O stretch occurs at 1705-1725 cm-1

(s)
 Ethyl pivalate
12. Esters
• C=O stretch at 1735-1750 cm-1

• Strong band for C-O at a higher frequency than

ethers or alcohols at 1150-1250 cm-1

(s)
(s)
 4-phenylbutyric acid
13. Carboxylic Acids:
• Gives the messiest of IR spectra

• C=O band occurs between 1700-1725 cm-1

• The highly dissociated O-H bond has a broad band from 2400-
3500 cm-1 covering up to half the IR spectrum in some cases

(w – m) (s) (s)
br
 Propionic anhydride
14. Acid anhydrides O O

• Coupling of the anhydride though the ether oxygen

splits the carbonyl band into two with a separation O
of 70 cm-1

• Bands are at 1740-1770 cm-1 and 1810-1840 cm-1

• Mixed mode C-O stretch at 1000-1100 cm-1

(s) (s)
15. Acid halides Propionyl chloride
• Clefted band at 1770-1820 cm-1 for C=O O

• Bonds to halogens, due to their size (see Hooke’s

Law derivation) occur at low frequencies, only Cl is Cl
light enough to have a band on IR, C-Cl is at 600-
800 cm-1

(s)

(s)
 pivalamide
O
16. Amides
• Display features of amines and carbonyl compounds
• C=O stretch at 1640-1680 cm-1 NH2

• If the amide is primary (-NH2) the N-H stretch occurs

from 3200-3500 cm-1 as a doublet

• If the amide is secondary (-NHR) the N-H stretch

occurs at 3200-3500 cm-1 as a sharp singlet

(m – s) (s)
 2-nitropropane
17. Nitro group (-NO2) O
O

• Proper Lewis structure gives a bond order of 1.5 N

from nitrogen to each oxygen

• Two bands are seen (symmetric and asymmetric) at

1300-1380 cm-1 and 1500-1570 cm-1

• This group is a strong resonance withdrawing group

and is itself vulnerable to resonance effects

(s) (s)
18. Nitriles (the cyano- or –C≡N group)
propionitrile
• Principle group is the carbon nitrogen triple
bond at 2100-2280 cm-1 N
C
• This peak is usually much more intense than
that of the alkyne due to the electronegativity
difference between carbon and nitrogen

(s)