Advanced pre-university Organic Chemistry: Infrared spectrum of propanal CH3CH2CHO

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Interpreting the infrared spectrum of propanal (propionaldehyde)

[Author © Dr Phil Brown PhD: Doc Brown's advanced level organic chemistry exam revision notes suitable for students of UK A level chemistry courses, IB chemistry & US K12 grade 11, grade 12 and AP honors chemistry courses: Molecular spectroscopy analysis of propanal [spectra page updated Mar 26th 2026 *]

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 Infrared spectroscopy - spectra index


Introductory note on the infrared spectrum of propanal

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

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

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

infrared spectrum of propanal wavenumbers cm-1 functional group detection fingerprint pattern identification of propionaldehyde doc brown's advanced organic chemistry revision notes 

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

propanal (propionaldehyde),  C3H6O, aldehydes and ketones nomenclature (c) doc b , aldehydes and ketones nomenclature (c) doc b , aldehydes and ketones nomenclature (c) doc b, aldehydes and ketones nomenclature (c) doc b

An aldehyde The molecular structure and naming of aldehydes and ketones

Interpretation of the infrared spectrum of propanal  (propionaldehyde)

The most prominent infrared absorption lines of propanal

The stretching vibrations of the C-H bond of the alkyl grouping occur at wavenumbers 2975 to 2845 cm-1.

Overlapping are the stretching vibrations of the C-H bond of the aldehyde group (CHO) occur at wavenumbers 2880 to 2650 cm-1.

The strongest and most characteristic absorption band of propanal is at wavenumbers ~1740 to 1720 cm-1 for the stretching vibrations of the carbonyl group bond C=O in aldehydes.

There are other multiple aliphatic aldehyde absorptions at wavenumbers ~1215 to 1435 cm-1 but not particularly characteristic.

The absence of other specific functional group bands will show that particular functional group is absent from the propanal molecular structure.


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Links associated with propanal

The isomers of molecular formula C3H6O (with some selected spectra data)

The chemistry of ALDEHYDES and KETONES revision notes INDEX

The mass spectrum of Propanal (propionaldehyde)

The H-1 NMR spectrum of Propanal (propionaldehyde)

The C-13 NMR spectrum of Propanal (propionaldehyde)

Infrared spectroscopy index

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Index of advanced (pre-university) organic chemistry revision notes

 The chemistry of alkanes and the petrochemical industry

 The chemistry of alkenes

 The chemistry of haloalkanes

 The chemistry of alcohols

 The chemistry of aldehydes and ketones

 The chemistry of carboxylic acids and derivatives

 The chemistry of organo-nitrogen compounds

 The chemistry of aromatic compounds


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