Advanced Organic Chemistry: 1H NMR spectrum of ethyl methanoate (ethyl formate) HCOOCH2CH3

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Interpreting and explaining the H-1 hydrogen-1 (proton) NMR spectrum of ethyl methanoate

[Author © Dr Phil Brown 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 - analysing the 1H NMR spectra of ethyl methanoate [spectra page updated April 3rd 2026 *]

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 H-1 proton NMR spectroscopy - spectra index

Introductory note on the 1H NMR spectra of ethyl methanoate

Students and teachers please note my explanation of the proton NMR spectrum of ethyl methanoate is designed for advanced, but pre-university, chemistry courses.

The chemical shift δ splitting pattern effects for ethyl methanoate are confined to a proton spin-spin coupling effects analysed using the n+1 rule for adjacent non-equivalent proton fields (n is the number of neighbouring protons in a non-equivalent different chemical environment for the ethyl methanoate molecule).

It is assumed that the integrated intensities of the δ chemical shifts give the ratio of the protons in the different non-equivalent chemical environments of the ethyl methanoate molecule.

The most common solvent used for investigating the 1H NMR spectrum of compounds like ethyl methanoate, is CDCl3 and other deuterated solvents to avoid confusion with a 1H NMR signal, 2D (2H) has a different chemical shift.

1H proton nmr spectrum of ethyl methanoate low/high resolution diagrams C3H6O2 HCOOCH2CH3 analysis interpretation of chemical shifts ppm spin spin line splitting diagram H1 H-1 nmr for ethyl formate explaining spin-spin coupling for line splitting doc brown's advanced organic chemistry revision notes

TMS is the acronym for tetramethylsilane, formula Si(CH3)4, whose protons are arbitrarily given a chemical shift of 0.0 ppm. This is the 'standard' in 1H NMR spectroscopy and all other proton resonances, called chemical shifts, are measured with respect to the TMS, and depend on the individual (electronic) chemical environment of the hydrogen atoms in an organic molecule - ethyl methanoate here.

The chemical shifts quoted in ppm on the diagram of the H-1 NMR spectrum of ethyl methanoate represent the peaks of the intensity of the chemical shifts of (which are often groups of split lines at high resolution) AND the relative integrated areas under the peaks gives you the ratio of protons in the different chemical environments of the ethyl methanoate molecule.

Ethyl methanoate (ethyl formate) C3H6O2  (c) doc b  (c) doc b  (c) doc b 

(c) doc b   The molecular structure and naming of carboxylic acids and derivatives

Interpreting the H-1 NMR spectrum of ethyl methanoate

In terms of spin-spin coupling from the possible proton magnetic orientations, for ethyl methanoate I have only considered the interactions of non-equivalent protons on adjacent carbon atoms e.g. -CH2-CH3 protons etc.

For relatively simple molecules, the low resolution H-1 NMR spectrum of ethyl methanoate is a good starting point, you would expect to see three principal peaks in the ratio 1:2:3 (just 'blur' the high resolution diagram above!).

The hydrogen atoms (protons) of ethyl methanoate occupy 3 different chemical environments so that the low resolution NMR spectra should show 3 principal 1H peaks of different H-1 NMR chemical shifts (diagram above for ethyl methanoate).

HCOOCH2CH3

Note the proton ratio 1:2:3 of the 3 colours of the protons in the 3 chemically different proton environments

Chemical shifts (a) to (c) on the H-1 NMR spectrum diagram for ethyl methanoate.

Although there are 6 hydrogen atoms in the molecule, there are only 3 possible different chemical environments for the hydrogen atoms in ethyl methanoate molecule.

The integrated signal proton ratio 1:2:3 observed in the high resolution H-1 NMR spectrum, corresponds with the structural formula of ethyl methanoate.

The high resolution 1H NMR spectrum of ethyl methanoate

All low and high resolution spectra of ethyl methanoate show 3 groups of proton resonances and in the : HCOOCH2CH3 ratio expected from the structural formula of ethyl methanoate.

The ppm quoted on the diagram represent the peak of resonance intensity for a particular proton group in the molecule of ethyl methanoate - since the peak' is at the apex of a band of H-1 NMR resonances due to spin - spin coupling field splitting effects - see high resolution notes on ethyl methanoate below.

So, using the chemical shifts and applying the n+1 rule to ethyl methanoate and make some predictions using some colour coding! (In problem solving you work the other way round!)

(a) 1H Chemical shift 8.03 ppm, lone hydrogen atom : HCOOCH2CH3

This 1H resonance is NOT split by any other proton magnetic field - a singlet resonance spectral line.

There are no protons on an adjacent atom to cause spin - spin coupling.

Evidence for the presence of a 'lone' proton in the molecule of ethyl methanoate

(b) 1H Chemical shift 4.22 ppm, CH2 protons: HCOOCH2CH3

This 1H resonance is split by the adjacent methyl group protons into a 1:3:3:1 quartet (n+1 = 4)..

Evidence for the presence of a CH3 group in the molecule of ethyl methanoate

(c) 1H Chemical shift 1.29 ppm, methyl protons: HCOOCH2CH3

This 1H methyl group resonance is split by the adjacent CH2 group protons into a 1:2:1 triplet (n+1 = 3)..

Evidence for the presence of a CH2 group in the molecule of ethyl methanoate

Note the decreasing effect on the 1H chemical shift as the proton (in the ethyl group) is further from the more electronegative oxygen atoms in ethyl methanoate.

The splitting pattern from proton spin-spin coupling effects is analysed using the n+1 rule for adjacent non-equivalent proton fields (n is the number of neighbouring protons in a non-equivalent different chemical environment) and applied to the 1H NMR spectrum of ethyl methanoate.
Number of directly adjacent protons 1H causing splitting Splitting pattern produced from the n+1 rule on spin-spin coupling and the theoretical ratio of line intensities
0 means no splitting             1            
1 creates a doublet           1   1          
2 creates a triplet         1   2   1        
3 creates a quartet       1   3   3   1      
4 creates a quintet     1   4   6   4   1    
5 creates a sextet   1   5   10   10   5   1  
6 creates a septet 1   6   15   20   15   6   1

Key words & phrases: C3H6O2 HCOOCH2CH3 Interpreting the proton H-1 NMR spectra of ethyl methanoate, low resolution & high resolution proton nmr spectra of ethyl methanoate, H-1 nmr spectrum of ethyl methanoate, understanding the hydrogen-1 nmr spectrum of ethyl methanoate, explaining the line splitting patterns from spin-spin coupling  in the high resolution H-1 nmr spectra of ethyl methanoate, revising the H-1 nmr spectrum of ethyl methanoate, proton nmr of ethyl methanoate, ppm chemical shifts of the H-1 nmr spectrum of ethyl methanoate, explaining and analyzing spin spin line splitting in the H-1 nmr spectrum, how to construct the diagram of the H-1 nmr spectrum of ethyl methanoate, how to work out the number of chemically different protons in the structure of the ethyl methanoate organic molecule, how to analyse the chemical shifts in the hydrogen-1 H-1 proton NMR spectrum of ethyl methanoate using the n+1 rule to explain the spin - spin coupling ine splitting in the proton nmr spectrum of ethyl methanoate deducing the nature of the protons from the chemical shifts ppm in the H-1 nmr spectrum of ethyl methanoate examining the 1H nmr spectrum of  ethyl methanoate analysing the 1-H nmr spectrum of ethyl methanoate how do you sketch and interpret the H-1 NMR spectrum of ethyl methanoate interpreting interpretation of the 1H proton spin-spin coupling causing line splitting in the NMR spectrum of ethyl methanoate  assignment of chemical shifts in the proton 1H NMR spectrum of ethyl methanoate formula explaining spin-spin coupling for line splitting for ethyl methanoate type functional group ethyl formate How do you interpret the H-1 NMR spectrum of ethyl methanoate How to interpret the H-1 NMR spectrum of ethyl methanoate Explanatory diagram of the chemical shifts of the 1H H-1 proton NMR spectrum of the ethyl methanoate molecule in terms of its molecular structure. Listing data of all the chemical shift peaks in ppm in the proton NMR spectrum of ethyl methanoate. How to explain the H-1 NMR spectrum of ethyl methanoate. The chemical shifts and  integrated values of the proton ratios in the 1-H NMR spectrum of the ethyl methanoate molecule. How to work out the molecular structure of the ethyl methanoate molecule from its proton NMR spectrum. The uses and distinctive features of the proton NMR spectrum of the ethyl methanoate molecule explained. What does the H-1 proton NMR spectrum chemical shifts tell us about the structure and properties of the ethyl methanoate molecule? explaining the spin-spin proton coupling effects in the 1H NMR spectrum of ethyl methanoate. interpretation diagram explaining the proton splitting pattern produced from the n+1 rule and the theoretical ratio of chemical shift δ and values of intensities for the proton NMR spectrum lines of ethyl methanoate

Links associated with ethyl methanoate

The infrared spectrum of ethyl methanoate (ethyl formate)

The mass spectrum of ethyl methanoate (ethyl formate)

The C-13 NMR spectrum of ethyl methanoate (ethyl formate)

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