Infrared spectroscopy functional-group region

Infrared spectroscopy is mainly used to tell what types of bonds are present in a molecule (using the functional group region, 1500-5000 cm-1) and whether two substances are identical or different (using the fingerprint region, 700-1500 cm-1). 

As indicated above, the penetration depth is on the order of a micrometer. That means that in ATR, absorption of infrared radiation mostly occurs within a distance 8 of the surface and ATR is not as surface sensitive as some other surface analysis techniques. However, ATR, like all forms of infrared spectroscopy, is very sensitive to functional groups and is a powerful technique for characterizing the surface regions of polymers. 

The next most useful is vibrational spectroscopy but identification of large molecules is still uncertain. In the laboratory, vibrational spectroscopy in the infrared (IR) is used routinely to identify the functional groups in organic molecules but although this is important information it is not sufficient to identify the molecule. Even in the fingerprint region where the low wavenumber floppy vibrational modes of big molecules are observed, this is hardly diagnostic of structure. On occasion, however, when the vibrational transition can be resolved rotationally then the analysis of the spectrum becomes more certain. 

Both Raman and infrared spectroscopy provide qualitative and quantitative information about ehemieal species through the interaetion of radiation with molecular vibrations. Raman spectroscopy complements infrared spectroscopy, particularly for the study of non-polar bonds and certain functional groups. It is often used as an additional technique for elueidating the molecular structure and symmetry of a eompound. Raman spectroseopy also provides facile access to the low frequency region (less than 400 cm Raman shift), an area that is more difficult for infrared speetroseopy. 

Infrared spectroscopy is one of the most powerful tools for functional studies of hemoproteins reactive to external hgands with infared absorptions in the triple bond region (1900-2200 cm ) where the background level due to absorptions of proteins and water molecules is quite low as described above. However, recent improvement in the sensitivity and stability of the FTIR apparatus with an MCT detector has enabled infrared spectroscopic examination of the protein moiety also. In fact, one of the most sensitive methods for monitoring the dissociation of a COOH group is infrared spectroscopy. 

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy (Section 13.5) An analytical technique used to identify the functional groups in a molecule based on their absorption of electromagnetic radiation in the infrared region. 

The use of infrared spectroscopy, either through fingerprint characterisation or by functional group identification, is well established. IR vibrational spectroscopy has thus been applied in spectroelectrochemistry for quite some time. ° The possibility to establish the symmetry of a molecule has made IR-SEC a most valuable tool for mixed-valence chemistry, ° allowing intramolecular electron-transfer rates in the picosecond region to be assessed and electron-transfer isomers to be established. ... 

Additive Loss in Lubricants Additive loss is detrimental to the performance of lubricants. Some additive levels can be monitored by infrared spectroscopy. For instance, anti-wear additives, zinc dithio-dialkyl (diaryl) phosphate (ZDDP) and tri-cresyl phosphate (TCP) contain a common phosphate functional group that can be measured by infrared. The P-O-R (where R = alkyl/aryl) stretch shows a strong IR absorbance for all of these compounds and is used to trend the anti-wear level. The P-O-R stretch area is measured over the region of 1020-960 cm using the general baseline of 2000-600 cm. ... 

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