Structural information from OH stretching frequencies monohydric saturated alcohols

Abstract

Infrared data have been recorded of the hydroxyl stretching band for about 70 monohydric saturated alcohols in dilute carbon tetrachloride solution. The wavenumber maximum, the half-bandwidth and the band pattern could be related to the structure of the molecules. Not only primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols can be distinguished but also β-branched and cyclic ones. Four effects seem to be connected with the OH stretching band; viz. substitution and fixation both lowering the frequency, and rotation and shielding both enhancing it. For identification purposes a table correlating structure, wavenumber and half-bandwidth is presented.