Structural studies of aromatic carboxylic acids via computational chemistry and microwave spectroscopy

Peter D Godfrey1, Don McNaughton

  • 1School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia. peter.godfrey@monash.edu

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Spectroscopy of Carboxylic Acid Derivatives01:26

Spectroscopy of Carboxylic Acid Derivatives

Infrared spectroscopy is primarily used to determine the types of bonds and functional groups. In carboxylic acid derivatives, a typical carbonyl bond absorption is observed around 1650–1850 cm−1. For esters, the absorption is recorded at around 1740 cm−1, while acid halides show the absorption at about 1800 cm−1. Another acid derivative, the acid anhydrides, exhibit two carbonyl absorption around 1760 cm−1 and 1820 cm−1, arising from the symmetrical and unsymmetrical carbonyl vibration.
In the...
NMR Spectroscopy of Aromatic Compounds01:14

NMR Spectroscopy of Aromatic Compounds

Aromatic compounds can be identified or analyzed using proton NMR and carbon‐13 NMR. Typically, aromatic hydrogens or hydrogens directly bonded to the aromatic rings are strongly deshielded by the aromatic ring current. Therefore, they absorb in the range of 6.5–8.0 ppm in proton NMR spectra. For instance, aromatic hydrogens directly bonded to the benzene ring absorb at 7.3 ppm. However, aromatic hydrogens of larger rings absorb farther upfield or downfield than the ideal range. Consider...
IR and UV–Vis Spectroscopy of Carboxylic Acids01:28

IR and UV–Vis Spectroscopy of Carboxylic Acids

In IR spectroscopy of carboxylic acids, the C=O bond shows a characteristic band between 1710 and 1760 cm⁻¹, and the O–H bond exhibits a broad band between 2500 and 3300 cm⁻¹.
However, the stretching absorptions for the C=O bond vary depending on the structure of carboxylic acids. The C=O bond of the free carboxylic acids shows a higher stretching frequency, 1760 cm−1, while H-bonded carboxylic acids (dimers) exhibit stretching absorptions at a lower frequency, 1710 cm−1. The C=O bond of the...
NMR and Mass Spectroscopy of Carboxylic Acids01:30

NMR and Mass Spectroscopy of Carboxylic Acids

In ¹H NMR spectroscopy, acidic protons (–COOH) of carboxylic acids are highly deshielded and absorb far downfield, at around 9–12 ppm. The chemical shift value depends on the concentration and solvent used.
While α protons of carboxylic acids absorb at 2–2.5 ppm, β protons absorb further upfield.
Carboxylic acids are easily identified by dissolving them in deuterium oxide, which results in a rapid exchange of the acidic protons with deuterium. This leads to the disappearance of the acidic...
Mass Spectrometry: Aromatic Compound Fragmentation01:23

Mass Spectrometry: Aromatic Compound Fragmentation

Upon ionization, aromatic compounds generate a molecular ion that is observed as a prominent peak in their mass spectra. For example, the molecular ion peak for benzene appears at a mass-to-charge ratio of 78, while toluene is observed at a mass-to-charge ratio of 92. The molecular ion benzene is highly stable and does not readily undergo further fragmentation due to the significant amount of energy required to disrupt the aromatic stability of the benzene ring. In contrast, the molecular ion...
π Electron Effects on Chemical Shift: Aromatic and Antiaromatic Compounds01:14

π Electron Effects on Chemical Shift: Aromatic and Antiaromatic Compounds

In aromatic compounds, such as benzene, the circulation of (4n + 2) π-electrons sets up a diamagnetic or diatropic ring current around the perimeter of the molecule. This current induces a magnetic field that opposes the external field inside the ring and reinforces it on the outside. The protons in benzene are deshielded and exhibit high chemical shifts in the range 6.5–8.5 ppm. The shielding effect at the center of the ring is evident in complex aromatic molecules, such as annulenes. In...