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Mobile App Chapter 9: Problem 49
The reaction between aqueous \(\mathrm{HCl}\) and 2-pentene gives several products. Two of the products are 3-pentanol and 3-chloropentane. How would you use IR spectroscopy to differentiate between these two products? 2-Pentanol is also formed. Could you distinguish between 3-pentanol and 2-pentanol using IR?
Short Answer
Expert verified
Use the broad O-H peak at 3200-3550 cm^{-1} for 3-pentanol, absent in 3-chloropentane. Compare fingerprint regions for 3-pentanol and 2-pentanol.
Step by step solution
01
- Identify Functional Groups in 3-pentanol
3-Pentanol has an alcohol group (-OH) attached to the third carbon of the pentane chain. Alcohol functional groups typically show a broad absorption around 3200-3550 cm^{-1} in IR spectroscopy due to the O-H stretching vibration.
02
- Identify Functional Groups in 3-chloropentane
3-Chloropentane has a chlorine atom attached to the third carbon of the pentane chain. Alkyl halides (like chloropentane) show a C-Cl stretching absorption around 600-800 cm^{-1} in IR spectroscopy.
03
- Compare IR Spectra of 3-pentanol and 3-chloropentane
In the IR spectrum, identify the broad absorption around 3200-3550 cm^{-1} for 3-pentanol and a signal in the region of 600-800 cm^{-1} for 3-chloropentane. The presence of an O-H stretching around 3200-3550 cm^{-1} in 3-pentanol will differentiate it from 3-chloropentane, which will lack this broad absorption.
04
- Identify Functional Groups in 2-pentanol
2-Pentanol has an alcohol group (-OH) attached to the second carbon of the pentane chain. Similar to 3-pentanol, it will show a broad absorption around 3200-3550 cm^{-1} in IR spectroscopy.
05
- Compare IR Spectra of 3-pentanol and 2-pentanol
Both 2-pentanol and 3-pentanol will show a broad O-H stretching absorption around 3200-3550 cm^{-1}, making it impossible to distinguish between them just by the O-H peak. Instead, examine the fingerprint region (1400-600 cm^{-1}) for subtle differences in C-H and C-O stretching patterns that can differentiate the two isomers.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
3-pentanol
3-pentanol is an organic compound featuring an alcohol functional group (-OH) attached to the third carbon of a pentane chain. Alcohols are easily identifiable in IR spectroscopy due to the broad O-H stretching absorption band. This band generally appears in the 3200-3550 cm^{-1} range. The presence of this specific band helps in unequivocally recognizing alcohols in IR spectra. If you see this peak, it confirms the presence of an alcohol group, making 3-pentanol easily distinguishable from other compounds without an O-H group like 3-chloropentane.
3-chloropentane
3-chloropentane is another organic compound, but this one contains a chlorine atom attached to the third carbon of the pentane chain. Chlorinated compounds, or alkyl halides, have a unique C-Cl stretching absorbance in the IR spectrum, usually found in the 600-800 cm^{-1} region. This is quite different from the broad O-H absorption of alcohols. Absence of an O-H stretching band and presence of a C-Cl stretching band makes 3-chloropentane easily identifiable using IR spectroscopy.
functional group analysis
Functional group analysis is a core aspect of IR spectroscopy. It involves identifying specific regions of the IR spectrum corresponding to different types of chemical bonds or groups. The unique absorbance patterns allow chemists to determine which functional groups are present in a molecule. For example, alcohols show a distinctive broad O-H stretch around 3200-3550 cm^{-1}, while alkyl halides show C-Cl stretching around 600-800 cm^{-1}. This technique is particularly useful in distinguishing between compounds such as 3-pentanol and 3-chloropentane.
O-H stretching
The O-H stretching vibration is a significant feature of IR spectra for alcohols and phenols. It typically appears as a broad peak in the range of 3200-3550 cm^{-1}. This broad nature arises due to hydrogen bonding, which affects the O-H bond strength and results in peak broadening. Identifying this peak is crucial for recognizing compounds that contain an alcohol group, such as 3-pentanol. Thus, the O-H stretching vibration is a diagnostic tool for verifying the presence of alcohols in a sample using IR spectroscopy.
C-Cl stretching
C-Cl stretching vibrations are an important marker for identifying alkyl halides via IR spectroscopy. These vibrations usually appear in the 600-800 cm^{-1} range, making them distinct from other functional groups like alcohols. Detecting this absorption band in the IR spectrum confirms the presence of a chlorine atom bonded to a carbon. Thus, this feature is used for identifying compounds like 3-chloropentane, distinguishing it from similar structures like 3-pentanol which shows a broad O-H stretching band instead.
2-pentanol
2-pentanol, another alcohol, has the -OH group attached to the second carbon of the pentane chain. As with 3-pentanol, 2-pentanol shows a broad O-H stretching absorption in the 3200-3550 cm^{-1} range on an IR spectrum. However, distinguishing between these two isomers based solely on this O-H peak is challenging. Consequently, other spectral regions, such as the fingerprint region, must be examined to differentiate between these isomers.
fingerprint region
The fingerprint region of the IR spectrum, ranging from 1400 to 600 cm^{-1}, contains complex absorption patterns unique to each molecule. For example, distinguishing between 3-pentanol and 2-pentanol requires analyzing this region. The fingerprint region includes unique patterns from C-H bending and C-O stretching, which are different for different molecular structures. By careful examination, subtle differences can be spotted, allowing one to tell apart 2-pentanol and 3-pentanol effectively.
