Advanced Organic Chemistry: Carbon-13 NMR spectrum of hexane

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The Carbon-13 NMR spectrum of hexane

Doc Brown's Chemistry Advanced Level Pre-University Chemistry Revision Study Notes for UK IB KS5 A/AS GCE advanced A level organic chemistry students US K12 grade 11 grade 12 organic chemistry courses involving molecular spectroscopy analysing C-13 NMR spectra of hexane

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C-13 NMR spectroscopy - spectra index

See also comparing infrared, mass, 1H NMR & 13C NMR spectra of the structural alkane isomers of C6H14

C-13 nmr spectrum of hexane analysis of chemical shifts ppm interpretation of C-13 chemical shifts ppm of hexane C13 13-C nmr doc brown's advanced organic chemistry revision notes 

TMS is the acronym for tetramethylsilane, formula Si(CH3)4, whose 13C atoms are arbitrarily given a chemical shift of 0.0 ppm. This is the 'standard' in 13C NMR spectroscopy and all other 13C shifts, called chemical shifts, depend on the individual (electronic) chemical environment of the 13C atoms in an organic molecule - hexane here.

Hexane C6H14, alkanes structure and naming (c) doc b , alkanes structure and naming (c) doc b , alkanes structure and naming (c) doc b

For more see The molecular structure, classification and naming of alkanes

Interpreting the C-13 NMR spectrum of hexane

As you can see from the diagram above there are 3 different chemical shift lines in the C-13 NMR spectrum of hexane indicating 3 different chemical environments of the carbon atoms.

CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH3

(Note the 3 colours indicating the 3 different chemical environments of the six carbon atoms in hexane).

The 'linear' symmetry of the hexane molecule means there are three groups of equivalent carbon atoms  - three groups occupying the same chemical environment.

The carbon-13 NMR spectra a provides direct evidence of 3 different carbon atom environments in the hexane molecule from 3 different chemical shifts (ppm).
Comparing the infrared, mass, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectra of the five structural alkane isomers of C6H14

NOTE: The images are linked to their original detailed spectral analysis pages AND can be doubled in size with touch screens to increase the definition to the original hexane, 2-methylpentane, 3-methylpentane, 2,2-dimethylbutane and 2,3-dimethylbutane image sizes.  These five molecules are structural isomers of saturated alkanes of molecular formula C6H14 and exemplify the infrared, mass, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectra of lower aliphatic alkanes (non-cyclic alkanes).
Infrared spectra below.

INFRARED SPECTRA:

Apart from the significant differences in the fingerprint region at wavenumbers 1500 to 400 cm-1, there are no other great striking differences, but each could be identified from its infrared spectrum.

All the absorption bands are typical of molecules containing saturated alkyl structure and there are no characteristic infrared absorptions due to a specific functional group.
Infrared spectra above, mass spectra below.

MASS SPECTRA: Base ion peaks plus m/z comments.

Hexane: m/z 57, 42 and 56 prominent

2-methylpentane: m/z 43, 42 and 71 prominent

3-methylpentane: m/z 57, 41 and 56 prominent

2,2-dimethylbutane: m/z 43, 41, 57 and 71 prominent

2,3-dimethylbutane: m/z 43, 41, 42 and 71 prominent
Mass spectra above, 1H NMR spectra below.

1H NMR SPECTRA: They can all be distinguished by their different integrated proton ratios - need very high resolution.

Hexane: 3 1H δ shifts, H ratio 3:2:2 (6:4:4 in formula)

2-methylpentane: 5 1H δ shifts, H ratio 6:3:2:2:1

3-methylpentane: 4 1H δ shifts, H ratio 6:4:3:1

2,2-dimethylbutane: 3 1H δ shifts, H ratio 9:3:2

2,3-dimethylbutane: 2 1H δ shifts, H ratio 6:1 (12:2 in formula)
1H NMR spectra above, 13C NMR spectra below.

13C NMR SPECTRA: From the number of shifts, you can't distinguish (iii) and (iv) but you can distinguish them from (i), (ii) and (v). (i) Hexane: 3 13C δ shifts

(ii) 2-methylpentane: 5 13C δ shifts

(iii) 3-methylpentane: 4 13C δ shifts

(iv) 2,2-dimethylbutane: 4 13C δ shifts

(v) 2,3-dimethylbutane: 2 13C δ shifts
13C NMR spectra above.

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Links associated with hexane

The chemistry of ALKANES revision notes INDEX

The infrared spectrum of hexane

The mass spectrum of hexane

The H-1 NMR spectrum of hexane

C-13 NMR spectroscopy index

ALL SPECTROSCOPY INDEXES

All Advanced Organic Chemistry Notes

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