Structure Determination by Spectroscopy

Contributed by:
Jonathan James
The highlights are:
1. Mass spectroscopy
2. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy
3. Infrared spectroscopy
4. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

1. Structure Determination by
 Mass spectroscopy
 Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy
 Infrared spectroscopy
 Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
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2. Mass Spectroscopy
 Mass spec gives information about the molecular weight, and thus
the formula, of a molecule.
 A sample is vaporized and bombarded with high energy electrons. The
impact ejects an electron from the sample to give a radical cation.
A-B  [A.B]+. + e-
 The cation is detected and recorded as the M+ (molecular cation) peak,
usually the highest mass peak in the spectrum.
 The M+ peak gives the molecular weight of the compound.
 The mass / charge (m/z) ratio is always an even
number except when the molecule contains an odd
number of Nitrogen atoms.
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3. Mass Spectroscopy
 Isotopes have different atomic weights and
so can be separated by the spectrometer.
 Halogens can be identified by their isotope
ratios.
 35Cl and 37Cl in a 3:1 ratio
 79Br and 81Br in a 1:1 ratio
 127I is the natural isotope
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4. Mass Spectroscopy
 The radical cation can fragment to a radical
(no charge) and a cation.
[A.B]+.  A + B+ or A+ + B
 Only the cations are detected in the mass spectrometer.
 The most intense peak is called the “Base Peak”, which is
arbitrarily set to 100% abundance; all other peaks are
reported as percentages of abundance of “Base Peak.”
 Different groups of atoms will fragment in characteristic
ways.
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5. Interaction of electromagnetic
radiation energy and matter
 When EMR is directed at a substance, the
radiation can be:
 Absorbed
 Transmitted
 Reflected
depending on the frequency (or wavelength or energy) of the
radiation and the structure of the substance.
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6. Electromagnetic Radiation
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7. Mathematical Relationships
c =  E = h E = hc / 
 = Frequency (Hz) c = Velocity of Light
(3 x 1010 cm/sec)
 = Wavelength (cm) h = Planck’s Constant
(6.62 x 10-27 erg-sec)
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8. Interaction of electromagnetic
radiation energy and matter
 Molecules exist only in discrete states that
correspond to discrete energy content.
 The EMR energy that is absorbed is
quantized and brings about certain specific
changes in the molecule.
 electronic transitions (UV-vis)
 vibrations (IR)
 rotations (IR)
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9. Interaction of electromagnetic
radiation energy and matter
 Exact energies absorbed by a molecule are
highly characteristic of the structure and are
unique for each compound.
 spectroscopic “fingerprint”
 Similar functional groups absorb similar
energies regardless of the structure of the
rest of the compound.
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10. UV-visible Spectroscopy
 Ultraviolet: 200 nm – 400 nm Visible: 400 nm – 800 nm
 Most organic molecules and functional groups do not absorb
energy in the UV-visible part of the EMR spectrum and thus,
absorption spectroscopy in the ultraviolet-visible range is of
limited utility.
 When a molecule does absorb in the UV-vis, the energy
transitions that occur are between electronic energy levels of
valence electrons, that is, electrons in orbitals of lower
energy are excited to orbitals of higher energy.
 Energy differences generally of 30 –150 kcal/mole
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11. UV-visible Spectroscopy
 The ground state of an organic molecule can contain valence
electrons in three principal types of molecular orbitals:
 (sigma) C:H
 (pi) C::C
n (non-
bonding)
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12. UV-visible Spectroscopy
 Electrons in sigma bonds (single bonds) are too tightly bound
to be promoted to a higher energy level by UV-visible
radiation.
 alkanes, alcohols, alkyl halides, simple alkenes do not absorb in the UV
 Electrons in pi bonds and non-bonding orbitals are more
loosely held and can be more easily promoted.
 Conjugation of pi bonds lowers the energy of the radiation that is
absorbed by a molecule.
 Conjugated unsaturated systems are molecules with two or more
double or triple bonds each alternating with a single bond.
 If a molecule does not absorb in the UV, then it does not contain a
conjugated system of alternating double bonds or a carbonyl group.
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13. Infrared Spectroscopy
 Infrared
 Almost all organic compounds absorb in this
region between the visible and radiowaves
 800 nm (12,500 cm-1) to 107 nm (1.0 cm-1)
 Area of greatest interest in organic
chemistry is the vibrational portion
 2,500 nm (4,000 cm-1) to 15,000 nm (~700 cm-1)
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14. Infrared Spectroscopy
 Radiation in the vibrational infrared region is
expressed in frequency units called wave numbers,
which are the reciprocal of the wavelength ()
expressed in centimeters.
 (cm-1) = 1 /  (cm) (cm-1) = (nm-1) x 107
 Wave numbers can be converted to energy by
multiplying by hc. Thus wave numbers are
proportional to energy.
E hc /  νhc
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15. Infrared Spectroscopy
 Molecular Vibrations
 Absorption of infrared radiation corresponds to energy
changes on the order of 8-40 kJ/mole (2-10 kcal/mol)
 The frequencies in this energy range correspond to the
stretching and bending frequencies of covalent bonds, that
is, changes in bond length and in bond angle, respectively.
 Two uses for IR:
 IR spectra can be used to distinguish one compound from
another (“fingerprint”)
 Information about the functional groups present in a
compound
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16. Infrared Spectroscopy
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17. Alkane Decane CH3(CH2)8CH3
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18. Aromatic Isopropylbenzene
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19. Alkyne 1-Pentyne
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20. Alcohol 3-Heptanol
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21. Amine Benzylamine
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22. Ketone 3-Hexanone
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23. Aldehyde Hexanal
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24. Carboxylic acid Proprionic acid
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25. Ester Methyl benzoate
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26. Ether Methyl phenyl ether
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27. Nitrile Butyronitrile
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28. Nitro compound Nitrobenzene
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29. • Identify functional groups that are present
or absent, using Pavia’s sections
• Do not over-analyze an IR spectrum – there
is usually complementary information from
other sources to identify the compound
• Not every peak can be identified, so don’t
try
• Look at lots of examples!
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