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A

Anonymous

Feb 01, 2025

IR spectrums of formic acid and 1-propanol. What is the difference between the two?

I have two bottles of colorless liquids that have been in the back of the storeroom for quite some time. Unfortunately, the labels have fallen off due to the age of the bottles. However, I know that one contains formic acid and the other contains 1-propanol. If I were to measure the infrared (IR) spectra of these liquids, what differences could I look for to identify the compounds? I’m struggling with some college chemistry homework and would greatly appreciate any help. Thank you! :)

2 Answers

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Anonymous

Dec 04, 2024

Formic acid is another name for methanoic acid: one carbon atom with a carboxylic acid group on it.

(It’s also that strong smell you get when you step on an ant, so you’d really only need to sniff the bottles, not run an IR spectrum!)

1 proponal is a propane molecule (chain of 3 carbons) with an alcohol (OH) group on one end.

Both things will have an IR peak due to the O-H bond. It will be slightly different due to the adjacent C=O in the acid, but it’s the peak due to the C=O itself that provides the easiest way of distinguishing between these substances – it will be completely absent in the 1-propoanol.

A
Anonymous

Jan 05, 2025

The carboxylic acid will have a stong absorption peak at 1740-1670 cm^-1 (5.7-6.0 um). This peak will be absent in the alcohol.

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