1Characteristic Infrared Absorption Frequencies a

_________________________________________________________________________
Bond

Compound Type
Frequency

range, cm)1
_________________________________________________________________________
Hydrocarbons
C)H stretching

Alkanes

)CH2

2840)3000
)CH3
2872 & 2962 (s)
2853 & 2926
)CH (3E)
2890 (w)
)CH2 & )CH (cyclic)
2990)3100
Alkyl
2853)2962 (m)s)
Alkenes
3010)3095 (m)
Alkynes (RC/CH)
3267)3333 (s)
Aromatic
3000)3100

C)H bending

Alkanes
)CH3
1375 & 1450
)CH2
1465 & 1150)1350
)CH2 (straight chain
>7 C)
720
1365)1370,
1380)1385 (s, d), & 919)922 (w)
)C(CH3)3
1370 (s),
1385)1395 (m), & 926)932 (w)
cyclohexane
1452
cyclopentane
1455
cyclopropane
1442

)CH(CH3)2

Alkenes

vinyl

cis disubstituted,
1416

Alkynes
(RC/CH, HC/CH)
610)700 (s,
b) & 1220)1370 (w, b)
Alkenes
650)1000 (s)
RCH=CH2
905)915 (s) & 985)995(s)
R2C=CH2
885)895 (s)
RCH=CHR (cis)
665)730 (s)
RCH=CHR (trans)
960)980 (s)
R2C=CHR
790)840 (m)
Allenes =CH2
850
Aromatic
675)900 (s)
monosubstituted
690)710 (s)
& 730)770(s)
o)disubstituted
735)770 (s)
m)disubstituted
680)725 (s) & 750)810(s)
p)disubstituted
800)840 (s)

C)H
out)of)plane
bending

C)H in)plane
bending

Alkenes
=CH2
1416
Aromatic
1000)1300

Characteristic Infrared Absorption Frequencies (contd)

_________________________________________________________________________
Bond

Compound Type
Frequency range, cm)1
_________________________________________________________________________
Hydrocarbonscontinued
C=C

Alkenes
1620)1680 (v)
unconjugated
1640)1667 (m, w)
RCH=CH2
1638)1648
R2C=CH2
1648)1658

stretching

(m)
RCH=CHR (cis)
1626)1662 (v)
RCH=CHR (trans)
1668)1678 (v)
R2C=CHR
1665)1675
(m)
R2C=CR2
1665)1675
(w)

cyclobutene

)CH=CF2
1754
)CF=CF2
1786
cyclopropene
1641
cyclobutene
1566
")substituted
1641
conjugated
1600 & 1650

conjugated with an
aromatic ring
1625
cumulated
1900)2000
Aromatic
1400)1500 &

1585)1600
Alkynes
2100)2260 (w)
symmetrical
no band
RC/CH
2100)2140
RC/CR (unsymmetrical)
2190)2260

C/C stretching

Characteristic Infrared Absorption Frequencies (contd)

_________________________________________________________________________
Bond

Compound Type
Frequency

range, cm)1
_________________________________________________________________________
Alcohols and Phenols
O)H stretching

Alcohols, Phenols (vapor phase or

very dilute solution)
3584)3650 (s)
Alcohols, Phenols
3200)3550 (b,
s)
Alcohols
1000)1260 (s)

C)O
stretching

1E
")unsaturated and/or
")branched
<1050
saturated
1050)1085
2E
alicyclic 7 or 8 membered ring,
")unsaturated and ")branched,
or
di)")unsaturated

<1050

alicylic 5 or 6 membered
")unsaturated

symmetrical

ring,
1050)1085
saturated
1087)1124
highly
1124)1205

3E
")unsaturated
cyclic

highly
<1050
")unsaturated or
1087)1124
saturated
1124)1205
Phenols
1180)1260 &

1330)1390
Alcohols
1330)1420
1E, 2E
1330 & 1420
3E
1330)1420 (one band)

O)H bending

Alcohols, Phenols
(liquid)
650)769 (b)

Characteristic Infrared Absorption Frequencies (contd)

_________________________________________________________________________
Bond

Compound Type
Frequency

range, cm)1
_________________________________________________________________________
Ethers, Epoxides, and Peroxides
C)O stretching

Ethers
aliphatic
1085)1150 (s,
aliphatic, with branching adj to O

usually 1125)
1114)1170 (t)
aryl alkyl
1020)1075 &
1200)1275
vinyl
1020)1075 &
1200)1225

Peroxides
alkyl, aryl
1176)1198
Epoxides
750)840,
810)950 & 1250 (one band each)
C=C stretching

Ethers
vinyl
1610)1660
(d)
Epoxides
2990)3050

C)H stretching
C=O stretching

Peroxides
acyl, aroyl
1754)1818 (two bands)

Characteristic Infrared Absorption Frequencies (contd)

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Bond

Compound Type
Frequency
range, cm)1

_________________________________________________________________________
Ketones and Aldehydes
C=O stretching

Ketones
1680)1750 (s)
saturated aliphatic
(neat)
1715 (s)
aliphatic
1705)1720
aliphatic & aryl
1680)1700
",$)unsaturated
1665)1680
",$)unsaturated or aryl
1666)1685 (s)
$)diketones
1580)1640 (b, s)
quinones
both C=O in 1 ring
1655)1690 (s)
C=O in 2 rings
1635)1655 (s)
acyclic ")chloro
1725 & 1745
cyclohexanone
1715 (s)
cyclopentanone
1751 (s)
cyclobutanone
1775 (s)
Aldehydes
1690)1740 (s)
aliphatic
1720)1740 (s)
",$)unsaturated
1680)1690 (s)
aryl
1695)1715 (s)

C4O stretching

Ketones
1100)1300 (m)
aliphatic
1100)1230

and bending
O)H stretching

Ketones
enolic
2700)3000 (b,
shallow)
Aldehydes
2695)2830 (two m bands,
usually at 2720)
o)substituted aromatic
2900
Aldehydes
1390 (w)

C)H stretching

C)H bending

Characteristic Infrared Absorption Frequencies (contd)

_________________________________________________________________________
Bond

Compound Type
Frequency range, cm)1
_________________________________________________________________________
Carboxylic Acids and Anions
O)H stretching

C=O stretching
saturated aliphatic monomers

C))O stretching
C)O stretching
O)H bending

10

Carboxylic acids
2500)3300 (b, s) (center at
3000)
Carboxylic acids
1710)1780 (s)
1760 (s)
dimerized saturated
aliphatic
1706)1720 (s)
aliphatic
1700)1725 (s)
",$)unsaturated
1690)1715 (s)
aryl
1680)1700 (s)
Carboxyl anions
1550)1630
Carboxylic anions
1550)1650 (s) & 1400 (w)
Carboxylic acids
1210)1320
Carboxylic acids
1395)1440 (m)

Characteristic Infrared Absorption Frequencies (contd)

_________________________________________________________________________
Bond

Compound Type
Frequency

range, cm)1
_________________________________________________________________________
Esters and Lactones
C=O stretching

Esters
saturated aliphatic
1735)1750 (s)
formates, benzoates,
",$)unsaturated
1715)1730 (s)
vinyl
1776 (s)
phenyl
1770 (s)
oxalates, ")keto
1740)1755 (s)
$)keto
1650 (s)
aliphatic
1735)1750 (s)
aromatic
1715)1730 (s)
*)Lactones
saturated
1735)1750 (s)
",$)unsaturated
1750 (s)
$,*)unsaturated
1800 (s)
")Pyrones
1715)1775
(two bands)
J)Lactones
1760)1795

C)O stretching

Esters
saturated, except for acetates

11

1000)1300
1163)1210 (s)
acetates of
saturated alcohols
1240
vinyl acetates,

phenyl acetates

1140)1190
of ",$)unsaturated
acids
1160)1300
of aromatic acids
1250)1310
of 1E ROH
1031)1064
of 2E ROH
1100
aromatic esters of
1E ROH
1111
methyl esters of fatty acids 1175 (s), 1205, & 1250
(three band pattern)
Lactones
1111)1250
Acid Halides
C=O stretching

Unconjugated acid chlorides

1785)1815 (s)
Aromatic acid
chlorides
1770)1800 (s)
& 1735)1750 (w)
Acid chlorides
1780)1850
Acid bromides
1812
Acid fluorides
1869

12

Characteristic Infrared Absorption Frequencies (contd)

_________________________________________________________________________
Bond

Compound Type
Frequency range, cm)1
_________________________________________________________________________
Acid Anhydrides
C=O stretching

Anhydrides
saturated acyclic
1750 & 1818
conjugated acyclic
1720 & 1775
aliphatic
1740)1790 &
1800)1850
aromatic
1730)1780 &

C)O stretching

1780)1860
Anhydrides
unconjugated straight chain1047 (s)
cyclic
909)952 &
1176)1299
acetic
1125
Amides

N)H stretching

Amides
1E (dilute solutions)
3400 (m) &
3520 (m)
(solid samples)
3180 & 3350
2E (dilute solutions)
3400)3500
(concentrated solutions)
3060)3330
Lactams
3200 (s)
Amides
1630)1690 (s)
1E (solid samples)
1650 (s)
(dilute solutions)

C=O stretching

13

1690 (s)
2E (solid samples)
1640
(dilute solutions)
1680
anilides
1700
3E
1630)1680
Lactams
(>6)membered)
1650
J)Lactams
1700)1750
$)Lactams
1730)1760
Amides
1515)1650 &
666)800 (b, m)
1E (mulls and
pellets)
1620)1655
(dilute solutions)
1590)1620

N)H bending

2E acyclic
(solid samples)
1515)1570
(dilute solutions)
1510)1550
Lactams
700)800 (b)
C)N stretching

1E Amides
1400

14

Characteristic Infrared Absorption Frequencies (contd)

_________________________________________________________________________
Bond

Compound Type
Frequency range, cm)1
_________________________________________________________________________
Amines and Salts of Amines
N)H stretching

Amines
3300)3500 (m)
1E
3300)3500
(two bands)
(dilute solutions)
3400 (w) & 3500 (w) (two
bands)
aliphatic (neat)
3250)3330 &
3330)3400
2E
3310)3350
(w) (one band)
3E
3300)3500
(no bands)
Amine salts
ammonium
3030)3300 (b,
s) & 1709)2000
1E
2800)3000 (b, s) &
2000)2800 (m)
2E
2700)3000 (s)
& 2000 (m)
3E
2250)2700
4E
no bands

N)H bending

Amines
1E
1580)1650 (m
or s)
2E aliphatic
undetected

15

aromatic
1515
1E, 2E (liquid samples)
666)909
Amine salts
ammonium
1429 (b, s)
1E
1504)1550 &
1575)1600
2E
1560)1620
C)N stretching

Amines
1E, 2E, 3E aliphatic
1020)1250
(m, w)
1E aromatic
1250)1340 (s)
2E aromatic
1280)1350 (s)
3E aromatic
1310)1360 (s)

16

Characteristic Infrared Absorption Frequencies (contd)

_________________________________________________________________________
Bond

Compound Type
Frequency range, cm)1
_________________________________________________________________________
Amino Acids and Salts of Amino Acids
N)H stretching

N)H bending

C=O stretching

O)C4O stretching
C=O stretching

O)H stretching

Other amino acid hydrochlorides

Hydrochloride salts of amino acids

Free 1E amino acids

2600)3100 (b, s)
Hydrochloride salts of
amino acids 2380)3333 (s)
Sodium salts of
amino acids
3200)3400
Free 1E amino acids
1485)1550 (s),
1610)1660 (w) & 2000)2222 (m)
Hydrochloride salts of
amino acids 1481)1550 (s) &
1590)1610 (w)
Free 1E amino acid
1590)1600 (s) & 1400 (w)
Sodium salts of amino acids
1590)1600 (s) & 1400 (w)
Hydrochloride salts of amino acids
1190)1220 (s)
")Amino acid hydrochlorides
1730)1755 (s)
1700)1730 (s)
2380)3333 (s)

Compounds with C/N, C=N, )N=C=O, )N=C=S Groups

C/N stretching

Nitriles
2220)2260 (m)
aliphatic
2240)2260
aromatic,
conjugated
2222)2240
Isocyanides, isocyanates,
isothiocyanates

C=N stretching

Imines, oximes, thiazoles,

iminocarbonates, guanidines

17

1471)1689

thiocyanates,
2000)2273

Compounds with Nitrogen)Oxygen Bonds

N- -O stretching

N)O stretching

N=O stretching

N- -O bending
C)N stretching

Nitro compounds
1259)1389 & 1499)1661(s)
nitroalkanes
1372 & 1550
conjugated aliphatic, aromatic
1290)1360 & 1500)1550
Nitrates
1255)1300 (s) & 1625)1660
(s)
Nitrites
750)850 (s)
Nitrates
833)870
Nitrites
cis isomer
1610)1625 (s)
trans isomer
1650)1680 (s)
Nitroso compounds, monomeric, tertiary
aliphatic
1539)1585
aromatic
1495)1511
Nitrates
690)763
Nitroaromatics
870

18

Characteristic Infrared Absorption Frequencies (contd)

_________________________________________________________________________
Bond

Compound Type
Frequency range, cm)1
_________________________________________________________________________
Organic Halogen Compounds
C)X stretching

Chlorides
aliphatic
550)850 (s)
aryl
1089)1096 (s)
Bromides
515)690 (s)
Iodides
500)600 (s)
Fluorides
730)1400 (s)
monofluoroalkanes
1000)1100 (s)
)CF2), )CF3
1120)1350 (s)
aryl
1100)1250 (s)
Organic Sulfur Compounds

S)H stretching

Aliphatic mercaptans, thiophenols

2550)2600 (w)
Thioketos
2415 (b)
Sulfides
600)700 (w)
Disulfides
400)500 (w)
Thiocarbonyls
1020)1250
Thiobenzophenones
1207)1224

C)S stretching
S)S stretching
C=S stretching

Compounds Containing Sulfur)Oxygen Bonds

S=O stretching

Organic sulfoxides
1030)1070 (s)
Sulfones

19

1120)1160 (s)
& 1300)1350 (s)
Sulfonyl chlorides
1177)1204 (s) & 1380)1410
(s)
Sulfonamides
1155)1170 (s)
& 1335)1370 (s)
Covalent sulfonates
1168)1195 (s)
& 1335)1372 (d, s)
Organic sulfates
1185)1200 (s)
& 1380)1415 (s)
Sulfonic acids
1150)1165 (s) & 1342)1350
(s)
Sulfonate salts
1055 (s) & 1175 (s)
N)H stretching

Sulfonamides
1E
3247)3300 (s)
& 3330)3390 (s)
2E
3265 (s)

20

Characteristic Infrared Absorption Frequencies (contd)

_________________________________________________________________________
Bond

Compound Type
Frequency range, cm)1
_________________________________________________________________________
Silicon Compounds
Si)H stretching
Si)H bending

2200
800)950

SiO)H stretching
3200)3700
Si)O stretching
830)1110 (s)
Si)F

Si)X stretching

800)1000
Si)Cl
below 666
Phosphorus Compounds
P=O stretching

Phosphine oxides
aliphatic
1150
aromatic
1190
Phosphate esters
1250)1299

P)O stretching

P)OH bonds
910)1040 (s)
P)O)P bonds
700 (w), 870)1000 (s)
P)O)C bonds
aliphatic
770)830 (s), 970)1050(s)
aromatic
855)994(s),1160)1260(s)

21

Characteristic Infrared Absorption Frequencies (contd)

_________________________________________________________________________
Bond

Compound Type
Frequency range, cm)1
_________________________________________________________________________
Heteroaromatic Compounds
C)H stretching

Pyridines, Pyrazines, Pyrroles,

Furans, Thiophenes
3003)3077
Heteroaromatics
3220)3500

N)H stretching
Pyrroles, Indoles

(dilute solution)
3495
(conc solution)
3400
ring stretching

Heteroaromatics
1300)1600

C)H
out)of)plane

Pyridines
2)substituted
746)752 & 740-781
3)substituted
712)715 & 789)810
4)substituted
709)775 &
794)820

bending

Furans
2)substituted
(CHCl3)
780)835,
884, & 925
(liquid)
725)780,
875)890, & 915)960
(solid)
723)750,
793)821, 860)887, &
906)955
3)substituted
(liquid)
741 & 870)885
Thiophenes
2)substituted (CHCl3)
803)843, 853, & 925

22

(liquid)

3)substituted
755

Pyrrole
2)acyl
755 &
740)774
_________________________________________________________________________
Abbreviations: s = strong, m = moderate, w = weak, d = doublet, b = broad, v = variable, t =
triplet
a

Compiled from R. M. Silverstein, F. X. Webster, Spectrometric Identification of Organic

Compounds, 6th edition (Wiley, New York, 1998) and T. W. G. Solomons, C. Fryhle
Organic Chemistry, 7th edition upgrade (Wiley, New York, 2001).

23