Advanced Organic Chemistry: Infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol CH3CH(OH)CH3

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Interpreting and explaining the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol  CH3CH(OH)CH3

[Author © Dr Phil Brown GRIC, PhD: Doc Brown's advanced level organic chemistry exam revision notes suitable for students of UK A level chemistry courses & US K12 grade 11, grade 12 and AP honors chemistry courses: Molecular spectroscopy analysis of propan-2-ol [spectra page updated RE-EDIT]

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 Infrared spectroscopy - spectra index  *  A couple of basic practise questions

See also comparing the infrared, mass, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectra of the 3 isomers of C3H8O


Introductory note on the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol (2-propanol)

Students and teachers please note my explanation of the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol is designed for advanced, but pre-university, chemistry courses.

Based in the infrared spectrum diagram for propan-2-ol, only some of the most prominent peaks for particular bond vibrations are discussed, particularly if propan-2-ol has a functional group with a particular characteristic wavenumber peak.

The infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol is unique and the whole, or selected wavenumbers, can be used to fingerprint its identity, sometimes analysing a mixture containing propan-2-ol or following its change of concentration in a reaction.

infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol wavenumbers cm-1 functional group detection fingerprint pattern identification of 2-propanol doc brown's advanced organic chemistry revision notes 

Spectra obtained from a liquid film of propan-2-ol. The right-hand part of the of the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol, wavenumbers ~1500 to 400 cm-1 is considered the fingerprint region for the identification of propan-2-ol and most organic compounds. It is due to a unique set of complex overlapping vibrations of the atoms of the molecule of propan-2-ol.

Propan-2-ol, C3H8O, alcohols and ether structure and naming (c) doc b , alcohols and ether structure and naming (c) doc balcohols and ether structure and naming (c) doc b , alcohols and ether structure and naming (c) doc b secondary alcohol

The molecular structure and naming of aliphatic alcohols and ethers

Interpretation of the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol  (2-propanol, isopropyl alcohol)

The most prominent infrared absorption lines of propan-2-ol

The most characteristic absorption is the broad O-H stretching vibration band at wavenumbers ~3500 to 3230 cm-1, the breadth is caused by hydrogen bonding interactions, common to all hydrogen bonded molecules with a hydroxyl group e.g. alcohols and carboxylic acids.

infrared spectrum of ethanol diagram of intermolecular hydrogen bonding forces between liquid alcohol molecules doc brown A level organic chemistry revision notes R-O–Hδ+llllδ:O-R ... etc.

C-H stretching vibration absorption occurs ~2900 cm-1, wavenumbers common to any molecule with alkyl groups.

C-C-C skeletal vibrations show absorptions at wavenumbers ~1175 to 1140 cm-1 and 840 to 790 cm-1 for a -C(CH3)2 grouping in propan-2-ol.

There are C-O stretching vibrations and C-H deformation vibration absorption bands of wavenumbers ~1350 to 1030 cm-1, common to aliphatic alcohols like propan-2-ol.

The absence of other specific functional group bands will show that particular functional group is absent from the propan-2-ol molecular structure.


Questions

Some basic practice exam questions based on the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol

Jot down your responses and check out the answers

Answer with as much reasoning as possible.

 ANSWERS

If you think there are any errors, please email me asap at chem55555@hotmail.com

I don't mind if students/teachers do a selected printout of these questions and answers.


Q1  Which characteristic vibration would you expect for the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol? and what wavenumber region?


Q2 What would be an obvious difference in the infrared spectrum of methoxyethane, another isomer of C3H8O?

Comparing the infrared, mass, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectra of the 3 isomers of C3H8O

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 propan-1-ol, propan-2-ol and methoxyethane image sizes.

infrared spectrum of ethoxyethane wavenumbers cm-1 functional group detection fingerprint pattern identification of  diethyl ether doc brown's advanced organic chemistry revision notes I wasn't able to obtain an infrared spectrum for methoxyethane, so I've added the infrared spectrum of ethoxyethane to enable a few comparisons with two aliphatic alcohols

Comparing the infrared spectra of propan-1-ol, propan-2-ol and methoxyethane

Propan-1-ol, propan-2-ol and methoxyethane are structural isomers of molecular formula C3H8O

Propan-1-ol, propan-2-ol and methoxyethane exemplify infrared spectra of the lower members of the homologous series of aliphatic alcohols and ethers

INFRARED SPECTRA (above): There are, as expected, differences in the fingerprint region at wavenumbers 1500 to 400 cm-1, but most absorptions for all three molecules are the various C-O and the many C-H vibrational modes. However, there is one characteristic distinguishing absorption only present in the infrared spectra of alcohols, but not in ethers, that is the broad O-H stretching vibration peaking at ~3350 cm-1. There is also another broad absorption band (origin?) peaking at ~650 cm-1 in the alcohol spectra, but not in the ether spectra.

Comparing the mass spectra of propan-1-ol, propan-2-ol and methoxyethane

Propan-1-ol, propan-2-ol and methoxyethane are structural isomers of molecular formula C3H8O

Propan-1-ol, propan-2-ol and methoxyethane exemplify the mass spectra of the lower members of the homologous series of aliphatic alcohols and ethers

MASS SPECTRA (above): The base ion peaks are m/z 45 for propan-2-ol and methoxyethane, but that of propan-1-ol is m/z 31. Many of the fragmentation ions are common to all three spectra. The m/z 45 ion is peak is much smaller in the propan-1-ol spectrum compared to the other two.

Comparing the 1H proton NMR spectra of propan-1-ol, propan-2-ol and methoxyethane

Propan-1-ol, propan-2-ol and methoxyethane are structural isomers of molecular formula C3H8O

Propan-1-ol, propan-2-ol and methoxyethane exemplify the 1H proton NMR spectra of the lower members of the homologous series of aliphatic alcohols and ethers

1H NMR SPECTRA (above): The 1H NMR spectra of all three molecules give different integrated proton ratios for the different 1H chemical environments i.e. the proton ratios are as follows: propan-1-ol 3:2:2:1; propan-2-ol 6:1:1 and methoxyethane 3:2:3. Therefore, all three can be distinguished by their 1H NMR spectra.

Comparing the carbon-13 NMR spectra of propan-1-ol, propan-2-ol and methoxyethane

Propan-1-ol, propan-2-ol and methoxyethane are structural isomers of molecular formula C3H8O

Propan-1-ol, propan-2-ol and methoxyethane exemplify the carbon-13 NMR spectra of members of  the lower members of the homologous series of aliphatic alcohols and ethers

13C NMR SPECTRA (above): The 13C NMR spectra of propan-1-ol and methoxyethane show three different 13C NMR chemical shifts, but propan-2-ol can be distinguished from the other two by exhibiting only two chemical shift lines. You would need other spectral data to distinguish propan-1-ol and methoxyethane.

Key words & phrases: CH3CHOHCH3 2-propanol isopropyl alcohol image and diagram explaining the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol, complete infrared absorption spectrum of propan-2-ol, comparative spectra of propan-2-ol, prominent peaks/troughs for identifying functional groups in the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol, important wavenumber values in cm-1 for peaks/troughs in the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol, revision of infrared spectroscopy of propan-2-ol, fingerprint region analysis of propan-2-ol, how to identify propan-2-ol from its infrared spectrum, identifying organic compounds like propan-2-ol from their infrared spectrum, how to analyse the absorption bands in the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol detection of alcohol hydroxyl functional groups in the propan-2-ol molecule example of the infrared spectrum of a molecule like propan-2-ol with a functional group ? 2-propanol isopropyl alcohol isomer of molecular formula C3H8O Diagram of absorption of wavenumber peaks in the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol 2-propanol. Characteristic peak wavenumbers in the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol 2-propanol. Finger print identification pattern using the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol 2-propanol. Revision notes on the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol 2-propanol. Matching and deducing the structure of the propan-2-ol 2-propanol molecule from  its infrared spectrum. Infrared spectroscopy of aliphatic secondary alcohols, infrared spectra of propan-2-ol 2-propanol, an isomer of molecular formula C3H8O Explanatory diagram of the infrared spectrum of the propan-2-ol 2-propanol molecule in terms of its molecular structure. Listing data of the prominent main wavenumber peaks troughs in the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol 2-propanol. How to explain the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol 2-propanol. Use of the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol 2-propanol, identification of propan-2-ol 2-propanol from its infrared spectrum - fingerprint wavenumber pattern to identify the propan-2-ol 2-propanol molecule. The uses of the infrared spectrum of the propan-2-ol 2-propanol molecule. The distinctive features of the infrared spectrum of the propan-2-ol 2-propanol molecule explained. explaining the peaks-trough of the transmittance of the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol 2-propanol what does the infrared spectrum tell you about the structure and properties of the propan-2-ol 2-propanol molecule? How do you interpret the infrared absorption spectrum of propan-2-ol How to interpret the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol Explanatory diagram of the infrared spectrum of the propan-2-ol molecule in terms of its molecular structure. Listing data of the prominent main wavenumber peaks troughs in the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol. How to explain the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol. Use of the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol, identification of propan-2-ol from its infrared spectrum - fingerprint wavenumber pattern to identify the propan-2-ol molecule. The uses of the infrared spectrum of the propan-2-ol molecule. The distinctive features of the infrared spectrum of the propan-2-ol molecule explained interpretation diagram explaining the peaks-trough of the transmittance of the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol what does the infrared spectrum tell you about the structure and properties of the propan-2-ol molecule? How is infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol used to identify propan-2-ol?


Links associated with propan-2-ol

The chemistry of ALCOHOLS revision notes INDEX

The mass spectrum of Propan-2-ol (2-propanol, isopropyl alcohol)

The H-1 NMR spectrum of Propan-2-ol (2-propanol, isopropyl alcohol)

The C-13 NMR spectrum of Propan-2-ol (2-propanol, isopropyl alcohol)

Infrared spectroscopy index

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ANSWERS to the practice exam questions based on the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol.


Q1  Which characteristic vibration would you expect for the infrared spectrum of propan-2-ol? and what wavenumber region?

ANSWER: Around ~3500 to 3200 cm-1, characteristic of the stretching vibrations of the hydroxyl group of alcohols.


Q2 What would be an obvious difference in the infrared spectrum of methoxyethane, another isomer of C3H8O?

ANSWER: No OH stretching vibration, but would still have C-O stretching vibrations.


For more information see Isomers of molecular formula C3H8O (Mr = 60)

The infrared spectrum of Propan-1-ol

and The infrared spectrum of methoxyethane


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