Past exam of the chemistry course of the year 1 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge / 2025 / 1 / a

The diagnostic infrared spectroscopy absorptions are the conjugated ester carbonyl near $1720\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{-1}$ and the alkene stretch near $1650\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{-1}$. Reasonable approximate ranges are $1715$–$1730$ and $1620$–$1660\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{-1}$, respectively. Conjugated system lowers the carbonyl stretching spectroscopic wavenumber relative to an unconjugated ester.

The ester C–O stretches and strong C–F stretches lie mainly in the $1000$–$1300\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{-1}$ region. Vinylic C–H stretching is just above $3000\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{-1}$, and saturated C–H stretching is about $2850$–$3000\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{-1}$. There is no hydroxy group to give a broad O–H band.