Solvent effects in infra-red spectra. OE and SH stretching vibrations

Abstract

The intensities, band widths and frequencies of the OH stretching vibrations of methanol, tert.-butanol and phenol, and of the SH stretching vibrations of tert.-butyl mercaptan and thiophenol in a range of solvents are reported and discussed in terms of current solvent effect theories. Similar solvent dependences were found for the hydroxyl and thiol solutes in the more strongly bonding solvents suggesting that hydrogen bond forces were operative in both cases. For the hydroxyl compounds, the frequency shifts were found to be related to the electron densities at centres of negative charge on the solvent molecules.