IR Spectrum Table by Frequency Range
Frequency Absorption
Appearance Group Compound Class Comments
Range (cm-1)
4000-3000 medium, O-H
3700-3584 alcohol free
cm-1 sharp stretching
O-H
3550-3200 strong, broad alcohol intermolecular bonded
stretching
N-H
3500 medium primary amine
stretching
3400
N-H aliphatic primary
3400-3300 medium
stretching amine
3330-3250
N-H
3350-3310 medium secondary amine
stretching
O-H usually centered on
3300-2500 strong, broad carboxylic acid
stretching 3000 cm-1
O-H
3200-2700 weak, broad alcohol intramolecular bonded
stretching
N-H
3000-2800 strong, broad amine salt
stretching
3000-2500
cm-1
3000-2500 C-H
3333-3267 strong, sharp alkyne
cm-1 stretching
C-H
3100-3000 medium alkene
stretching
C-H
3000-2840 medium alkane
stretching
C-H
2830-2695 medium aldehyde doublet
stretching
2600-2550 weak S-H stretching thiol
2400-2000
cm-1
2400-2000 O=C=O
2349 strong carbon dioxide
cm-1 stretching
N=C=O
2275-2250 strong, broad isocyanate
stretching
CΞN
2260-2222 weak nitrile
stretching
CΞC
2260-2190 weak alkyne disubstituted
stretching
S-CΞN
2175-2140 strong thiocyanate
stretching
N=N=N
2160-2120 strong azide
stretching
C=C=O
2150 ketene
stretching
N=C=N
2145-2120 strong carbodiimide
stretching
CΞC
2140-2100 weak alkyne monosubstituted
stretching
N=C=S
2140-1990 strong isothiocyanate
stretching
C=C=C
2000-1900 medium allene
stretching
C=C=N
2000 ketenimine
stretching
2000-1650
cm-1
2000-1650
2000-1650 weak C-H bending aromatic compound overtone
cm-1
1870-1540
C=O
1818 strong anhydride
stretching
1750
C=O
1815-1785 strong acid halide
stretching
C=O
1800-1770 strong conjugated acid halide
stretching
C=O
1775 strong conjugated anhydride
stretching
1720
C=O
1770-1780 strong vinyl / phenyl ester
stretching
C=O
1760 strong carboxylic acid monomer
stretching
C=O
1750-1735 strong esters 6-membered lactone
stretching
C=O
1750-1735 strong δ-lactone γ: 1770
stretching
C=O
1745 strong cyclopentanone
stretching
C=O
1740-1720 strong aldehyde
stretching
C=O
1730-1715 strong α,β-unsaturated ester or formates
stretching
C=O or cyclohexanone or
1725-1705 strong aliphatic ketone
stretching cyclopentenone
C=O
1720-1706 strong carboxylic acid dimer
stretching
C=O
1710-1680 strong conjugated acid dimer
stretching
C=O
1710-1685 strong conjugated aldehyde
stretching
C=O free (associated:
1690 strong primary amide
stretching 1650)
C=N
1690-1640 medium imine / oxime
stretching
C=O
1685-1666 strong conjugated ketone
stretching
C=O free (associated:
1680 strong secondary amide
stretching 1640)
C=O free (associated:
1680 strong tertiary amide
stretching 1630)
C=O γ: 1750-1700 β: 1760-
1650 strong δ-lactam
stretching 1730
1670-1600
cm-1
1670-1600 C=C
1678-1668 weak alkene disubstituted (trans)
cm-1 stretching
C=C
1675-1665 weak alkene trisubstituted
stretching
C=C
1675-1665 weak alkene tetrasubstituted
stretching
C=C
1662-1626 medium alkene disubstituted (cis)
stretching
C=C
1658-1648 medium alkene vinylidene
stretching
C=C
1650-1600 medium conjugated alkene
stretching
1650-1580 medium N-H bending amine
C=C
1650-1566 medium cyclic alkene
stretching
C=C
1648-1638 strong alkene monosubstituted
stretching
C=C α,β-unsaturated
1620-1610 strong
stretching ketone
1600-1300
cm-1
1600-1300 N-O
1550-1500 strong nitro compound
cm-1 stretching
1372-1290
1465 medium C-H bending alkane methylene group
1450 medium C-H bending alkane methyl group
1375
1390-1380 medium C-H bending aldehyde
1385-1380 medium C-H bending alkane gem dimethyl
1370-1365
1400-1000
cm-1
1400-1000
1440-1395 medium O-H bending carboxylic acid
cm-1
1420-1330 medium O-H bending alcohol
S=O
1415-1380 strong sulfate
stretching
1200-1185
S=O
1410-1380 strong sulfonyl chloride
stretching
1204-1177
1400-1000 strong C-F stretching fluoro compound
1390-1310 medium O-H bending phenol
S=O
1372-1335 strong sulfonate
stretching
1195-1168
S=O
1370-1335 strong sulfonamide
stretching
1170-1155
S=O
1350-1342 strong sulfonic acid anhydrous
stretching
1165-1150 hydrate: 1230-1120
S=O
1350-1300 strong sulfone
stretching
1160-1120
C-N
1342-1266 strong aromatic amine
stretching
C-O
1310-1250 strong aromatic ester
stretching
C-O
1275-1200 strong alkyl aryl ether
stretching
1075-1020
C-N
1250-1020 medium amine
stretching
C-O
1225-1200 strong vinyl ether
stretching
1075-1020
C-O
1210-1163 strong ester
stretching
C-O
1205-1124 strong tertiary alcohol
stretching
C-O
1150-1085 strong aliphatic ether
stretching
C-O
1124-1087 strong secondary alcohol
stretching
C-O
1085-1050 strong primary alcohol
stretching
S=O
1070-1030 strong sulfoxide
stretching
CO-O-CO
1050-1040 strong, broad anhydride
stretching
1000-650
cm-1
1000-650
995-985 strong C=C bending alkene monosubstituted
cm-1
915-905
980-960 strong C=C bending alkene disubstituted (trans)
895-885 strong C=C bending alkene vinylidene
C-Cl
850-550 strong halo compound
stretching
840-790 medium C=C bending alkene trisubstituted
730-665 strong C=C bending alkene disubstituted (cis)
C-Br
690-515 strong halo compound
stretching
600-500 strong C-I stretching halo compound
900-700
cm-1
900-700
880 ± 20 strong C-H bending 1,2,4-trisubstituted
cm-1
810 ± 20
880 ± 20 strong C-H bending 1,3-disubstituted
780 ± 20
(700 ± 20)
810 ± 20 strong C-H bending 1,4-disubstituted or
1,2,3,4-
tetrasubstituted
780 ± 20 strong C-H bending 1,2,3-trisubstituted
(700 ± 20)
755 ± 20 strong C-H bending 1,2-disubstituted
750 ± 20 strong C-H bending monosubstituted
700 ± 20 benzene derivative
IR Table by Compound Class
Compound Class Group Absorption (cm-1) Appearance Comments
acid halide C=O stretching 1815-1785 strong
alcohols O-H stretching 3700-3584 medium, sharp free
O-H stretching 3550-3200 strong, broad intermolecular bonded
O-H stretching 3200-2700 weak, broad intramolecular bonded
O-H bending 1420-1330 medium
aldehyde C-H stretching 2830-2695 medium doublet
C=O stretching 1740-1720 strong
C-H bending 1390-1380 medium
aliphatic ether C-O stretching 1150-1085 strong
or cyclohexanone or
aliphatic ketone C=O stretching 1725-1705 strong
cyclopentenone
aliphatic primary amine N-H stretching 3400-3300 medium
alkane C-H stretching 3000-2840 medium
C-H bending 1465 medium methylene group
C-H bending 1450 medium methyl group
C-H bending 1385-1380 medium gem dimethyl
C-H stretching 3100-3000 medium
C=C stretching 1678-1668 weak disubstituted (trans)
C=C stretching 1675-1665 weak trisubstituted
C=C stretching 1675-1665 weak tetrasubstituted
C=C stretching 1662-1626 medium disubstituted (cis)
C=C stretching 1658-1648 medium vinylidene
C=C stretching 1648-1638 strong monosubstituted
C=C bending 995-985 strong monosubstituted
C=C bending 980-960 strong disubstituted (trans)
C=C bending 895-885 strong vinylidene
C=C bending 840-790 medium trisubstituted
C=C bending 730-665 strong disubstituted (cis)
alkyl aryl ether C-O stretching 1275-1200 strong
alkyne C-H stretching 3333-3267 strong, sharp
CΞC stretching 2260-2190 weak disubstituted
CΞC stretching 2140-2100 weak monosubstituted
C=C=C
allene 2000-1900 medium
stretching
amine N-H bending 1650-1580 medium
C-N stretching 1250-1020 medium
amine salt N-H stretching 3000-2800 strong, broad
anhydride C=O stretching 1818 strong
CO-O-CO
1050-1040 strong, broad
stretching
aromatic amine C-N stretching 1342-1266 strong
aromatic compound C-H bending 2000-1650 weak overtone
aromatic ester C-O stretching 1310-1250 strong
N=N=N
azide 2160-2120 strong
stretching
benzene derivative 700 ± 20
N=C=N
carbodiimide 2145-2120 strong
stretching
O=C=O
carbon dioxide 2349 strong
stretching
usually centered on 3000
carboxylic acid O-H stretching 3300-2500 strong, broad
cm-1
C=O stretching 1760 strong monomer
C=O stretching 1720-1706 strong dimer
O-H bending 1440-1395 medium
conjugated acid C=O stretching 1710-1680 strong dimer
conjugated acid halide C=O stretching 1800-1770 strong
conjugated aldehyde C=O stretching 1710-1685 strong
conjugated alkene C=C stretching 1650-1600 medium
conjugated anhydride C=O stretching 1775 strong
conjugated ketone C=O stretching 1685-1666 strong
cyclic alkene C=C stretching 1650-1566 medium
cyclopentanone C=O stretching 1745 strong
ester C-O stretching 1210-1163 strong
esters C=O stretching 1750-1735 strong 6-membered lactone
fluoro compound C-F stretching 1400-1000 strong
halo compound C-Cl stretching 850-550 strong
C-Br stretching 690-515 strong
C-I stretching 600-500 strong
imine / oxime C=N stretching 1690-1640 medium
N=C=O
isocyanate 2275-2250 strong, broad
stretching
N=C=S
isothiocyanate 2140-1990 strong
stretching
C=C=O
ketene 2150
stretching
C=C=N
ketenimine 2000
stretching
monosubstituted C-H bending 750 ± 20 strong
nitrile CΞN stretching 2260-2222 weak
nitro compound N-O stretching 1550-1500 strong
none 3330-3250
none 1870-1540
none 1750
none 1720
none 1372-1290
none 1375
none 1370-1365
none 1200-1185
none 1204-1177
none 1195-1168
none 1170-1155
none 1165-1150 hydrate: 1230-1120
none 1160-1120
none 1075-1020
none 1075-1020
none 915-905
none 810 ± 20
none 780 ± 20
none (700 ± 20)
none (700 ± 20)
phenol O-H bending 1390-1310 medium
primary alcohol C-O stretching 1085-1050 strong
primary amide C=O stretching 1690 strong free (associated: 1650)
N-H stretching 3500 medium
secondary alcohol C-O stretching 1124-1087 strong
secondary amide C=O stretching 1680 strong free (associated: 1640)
secondary amine N-H stretching 3350-3310 medium
sulfate S=O stretching 1415-1380 strong
sulfonamide S=O stretching 1370-1335 strong
sulfonate S=O stretching 1372-1335 strong
sulfone S=O stretching 1350-1300 strong
sulfonic acid S=O stretching 1350-1342 strong anhydrous
sulfonyl chloride S=O stretching 1410-1380 strong
sulfoxide S=O stretching 1070-1030 strong
tertiary alcohol C-O stretching 1205-1124 strong
tertiary amide C=O stretching 1680 strong free (associated: 1630)
thiocyanate S-CΞN stretching 2175-2140 strong
thiol S-H stretching 2600-2550 weak
vinyl / phenyl ester C=O stretching 1770-1780 strong
vinyl ether C-O stretching 1225-1200 strong
α,β-unsaturated ester C=O stretching 1730-1715 strong or formates
α,β-unsaturated ketone C=C stretching 1620-1610 strong
δ-lactam C=O stretching 1650 strong γ: 1750-1700 β: 1760-1730
δ-lactone C=O stretching 1750-1735 strong γ: 1770
1,2,3,4-tetrasubstituted
1,2,3-trisubstituted C-H bending 780 ± 20 strong
C-H bending 880 ± 20 strong
1,2-disubstituted C-H bending 755 ± 20 strong
C-H bending 880 ± 20 strong
1,4-disubstituted or C-H bending 810 ± 20 strong
