Advanced Organic Chemistry: Infrared spectrum of propanone CH3COCH3

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Interpreting and explaining the infrared spectrum of propanone (acetone)

[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, IB chemistry & US K12 grade 11, grade 12 and AP honors chemistry courses: Molecular spectroscopy analysis of propanone [spectra updated RE-EDIT]

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Introductory note on the infrared spectrum of propanone

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

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

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

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

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

propanone (acetone, dimethyl ketone), 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

A ketone The molecular structure and naming of aldehydes and ketones

Interpretation of the infrared spectrum of propanone  (acetone)

The most prominent infrared absorption lines of propanone

The strongest and most characteristic absorption band of propanone is at wavenumbers ~1700 to 1725 cm-1 for the stretching vibrations of the carbonyl group bond C=O in ketones.

You see this strong absorption is aldehydes and ketones, so it wouldn't distinguish propanone from its isomer propanal with the same >C=O carbonyl group (See C3H6O isomers).

There are multiple C-H absorptions at wavenumbers ~1215 to 1435 cm-1 and ~3000 cm-1, but non particularly characteristic of ketones.

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


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Links associated with propanone

The mass spectrum of Propanone (acetone)

The H-1 NMR spectrum of Propanone (acetone)

The C-13 NMR spectrum of Propanone (acetone)

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