Interpreting the infrared spectrum of ethoxyethane (diethyl ether)

Doc Brown's Chemistry Advanced Level Pre-University Chemistry Revision Study Notes for UK IB KS5 A/AS GCE advanced A level organic chemistry students US K12 grade 11 grade 12 organic chemistry courses involving molecular spectroscopy analysing infrared spectra of ethoxyethane

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Spectra obtained from a liquid film of ethoxyethane. The right-hand part of the of the infrared spectrum of ethoxyethane, wavenumbers ~1500 to 400 cm^-1 is considered the fingerprint region for the identification of ethoxyethane and most organic compounds. It is due to a unique set of complex overlapping vibrations of the atoms of the molecule of ethoxyethane.

Ethoxyethane C₄H₁₀O, , ,

Interpretation of the infrared spectrum of ethoxyethane (diethyl ether)

The most prominent infrared absorption lines of ethoxyethane

A group of C-O stretching absorptions, from the ether linkage (C-O-C) are found around wavenumbers 1150 to 1060 cm^-1.

The C-H stretching vibration absorption bands are found in the 2800 to 3000 cm^-1  wavenumber region.

The absence of other specific functional group bands will show that particular functional group is absent from the ethoxyethane molecular structure.