low/high resolution 1H proton nmr spectrum of propyl methanoate C4H8O2 HCOOCH2CH2CH3 analysis interpretation of chemical shifts ppm spin spin line splitting H-1 propyl formate 1-H nmr explaining spin-spin coupling for line splitting doc brown's advanced organic chemistry revision notes

Advanced Organic Chemistry: The ¹H NMR spectrum of propyl methanoate HCOOCH₂CH₂CH₃

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Interpreting and explaining the hydrogen-1 (proton) NMR spectrum of propyl methanoate (propyl formate)

[Author © Dr Phil Brown PhD: Doc Brown's advanced level organic chemistry exam revision notes suitable for students of UK A level chemistry courses & US K12 grade 11, grade 12 and AP honors chemistry courses: Molecular spectroscopy - analysing the 1H NMR spectra of propyl methanoate [spectra page updated April 4th 2026 *]

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H-1 proton NMR spectroscopy - spectra index

Introductory note on the 1H NMR spectra of propyl methanoate

Students and teachers please note my explanation of the proton NMR spectrum of propyl methanoate is designed for advanced, but pre-university, chemistry courses.

The chemical shift δ splitting pattern effects for propyl methanoate are confined to a proton spin-spin coupling effects analysed using the n+1 rule for adjacent non-equivalent proton fields (n is the number of neighbouring protons in a non-equivalent different chemical environment for the propyl methanoate molecule).

It is assumed that the integrated intensities of the δ chemical shifts give the ratio of the protons in the different non-equivalent chemical environments of the propyl methanoate molecule.

The most common solvent used for investigating the 1H NMR spectrum of compounds like propyl methanoate, is CDCl₃ and other deuterated solvents to avoid confusion with a ¹H NMR signal, ²D (²H) has a different chemical shift.

1H proton nmr spectrum of propyl methanoate low/high resolution diagrams C4H8O2 HCOOCH2CH2CH3 analysis interpretation of chemical shifts ppm spin spin line splitting diagram H1 H-1 nmr for propyl formate explaining spin-spin coupling for line splitting doc brown's advanced organic chemistry revision notes

TMS is the acronym for tetramethylsilane, formula Si(CH₃)₄, whose protons are arbitrarily given a chemical shift of 0.0 ppm. This is the 'standard' in ¹H NMR spectroscopy and all other proton resonances, called chemical shifts, are measured with respect to the TMS, and depend on the individual (electronic) chemical environment of the hydrogen atoms in an organic molecule - propyl methanoate here.

The chemical shifts quoted in ppm on the diagram of the H-1 NMR spectrum of propyl methanoate represent the peaks of the intensity of the chemical shifts of (which are often groups of split lines at high resolution) AND the relative integrated areas under the peaks gives you the ratio of protons in the different chemical environments of the propyl methanoate molecule.

Propyl methanoate (propyl formate) (c) doc b

The molecular structure and naming of carboxylic acids and derivatives

Interpreting the H-1 NMR spectrum of propyl methanoate

In terms of spin-spin coupling from the possible proton magnetic orientations, for propyl methanoate I have only considered the interactions of non-equivalent protons on adjacent carbon atoms e.g. -CH₂-CH₃, R-CH₂-CH₂-X protons.

For relatively simple molecules, the low resolution H-1 NMR spectrum of propyl methanoate is a good starting point (high resolution diagram above, 'blur' it to get a proton ratio of 1:2:2:3).

The hydrogen atoms (protons) of propyl methanoate occupy 4 different chemical environments so that the low resolution NMR spectra should show 4 principal ¹H peaks of different H-1 NMR chemical shifts (diagram above for propyl methanoate).

HCOOCH₂CH₂CH₃

Note the proton ratio 1:2:2:3 of the 4 colours of the protons in the 4 chemically different proton environments

Chemical shifts (a) to (d) on the H-1 NMR spectrum diagram for propyl methanoate.

Although there are 8 hydrogen atoms in the molecule, there are only 4 possible different chemical environments for the hydrogen atoms in propyl methanoate molecule.

The integrated signal proton ratio 1:2:2:3 observed in the high resolution H-1 NMR spectrum, corresponds with the structural formula of propyl methanoate.

The high resolution 1H NMR spectrum of propyl methanoate

All low and high resolution spectra of propyl methanoate show 4 groups of proton resonances and in the 1:2:2:3 ratio expected from the structural formula of propyl methanoate.

The ppm quoted on the diagram represent the peak of resonance intensity for a particular proton group in the molecule of propyl methanoate - since the peak' is at the apex of a band of H-1 NMR resonances due to spin - spin coupling field splitting effects - see high resolution notes on propyl methanoate below.

So, using the chemical shifts and applying the n+1 rule to propyl methanoate and make some predictions using some colour coding! (In problem solving you work the other way round!)

(a) ¹H Chemical shift 8.04 ppm: HCOOCH₂CH₂CH₃

This resonance appears as a singlet, no line splitting because there is no proton on an adjacent atom.

Evidence for the presence of an isolated proton in the molecule of propyl methanoate

(b) ¹H Chemical shift 4.16 ppm CH₂ protons: HCOOCH₂CH₂CH₃

This resonance is split is split by the adjacent CH₂ protons into a 1:2:1 triplet (n+2 = 3).

Evidence for the presence of a CH₂ group in the molecule of propyl methanoate

(c) ¹H Chemical shift 1.61 ppm, CH₂ protons: HCOOCH₂CH₂CH₃

This resonance is split is split by the adjacent CH₂ and CH₃protons into a 1:5:10:10:5:1 sextet (n+5 = 6).

Evidence for the presence of a 2nd CH₂CH₂CH₃ grouping in the molecule of propyl methanoate.

Note the two sets of CH₂ protons are not equivalent and will split each other.

(d) ¹H Chemical shift 0.96 ppm, methyl protons: HCOOCH₂CH₂CH₃

This resonance is split is split by the adjacent CH₂ protons into a 1:2:1 triplet (n+2 = 3).

Evidence for the presence of a 2nd CH₂ group in the molecule of propyl methanoate

Evidence for the presence of a CH₂ group in the molecule of propyl methanoate

Note the decreasing effect on the ¹H chemical shift as the proton is further from the more electronegative oxygen atoms in the propyl group of propyl methanoate.

The splitting pattern from proton spin-spin coupling effects is analysed using the n+1 rule for adjacent non-equivalent proton fields (n is the number of neighbouring protons in a non-equivalent different chemical environment) and applied to the ¹H NMR spectrum of propyl methanoate.

Number of directly adjacent protons ¹H causing splitting	Splitting pattern produced from the n+1 rule on spin-spin coupling and the theoretical ratio of line intensities
0 means no splitting							1
1 creates a doublet						1		1
2 creates a triplet					1		2		1
3 creates a quartet				1		3		3		1
4 creates a quintet			1		4		6		4		1
5 creates a sextet		1		5		10		10		5		1
6 creates a septet	1		6		15		20		15		6		1

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