The vibrational spectra of organic isothiocyanates

Vibration and DFT analysis of 2-methyl-3-nitrophenyl isocyanate and 4-methyl-2-nitrophenyl isocyanate

Vibrational spectra of 2-methyl-3-nitrophenyl isocyanate and 4-methyl-2-nitrophenyl isocyanate, in the spectral region 4000-100 cm(-1), have been measured and assigned. Conformational and harmonic frequency analyses have been performed at B3LYP/6-311G(∗) level of calculations. The two stable conformers, cis and trans, have been computed for each of the molecules. It has been determined that the trans conformer has lower energy than the cis by 3.954 kJ/mol for 2-methyl-3-nitrophenyl isocyanate; whereas the cis conformer has lower energy than the trans by 10.230 kJ/mol for 4-methyl-2-nitrophenyl isocyanate. The vibration structure of 2-methyl-3-nitrophenyl isocyanate conforms to the combined behavior of its both conformers from which the deviation is shown by the structure of 4-methyl-2-nitrophenyl isocyanate which follows only the trans conformer. The occurrence of symmetric mode of the methyl group at higher frequency near 2944-20 cm(-1) is attributed to the phenyl ring strain caused by the substituents. As for the other stretching and bending modes, mutually exclusive pattern appears to work for the molecules: The nitro group's non-coplanarity with the phenyl ring is more evident in 4-methyl-2-nitrophenyl isocyanate where the asymmetric mode was assigned to the band at 1569cm(-1), whereas the symmetric mode at lower frequency 1339cm(-1). Occasional doublet appearance of the strong asymmetric absorption near 2282cm(-1) due to isocyanate moiety has been observed in the present study and is assumed to arise from the torsional vibration motion of the moiety rendered by the small energy gap between the conformers of 2-methyl-3-nitrophenyl isocyanate.

2-Methoxyphenyl isocyanate and 2-Methoxyphenyl isothiocyanate: conformers, vibration structure and multiplet Fermi resonance

IR and Raman spectral measurements in the region 3500-400/50 cm(-1) have been made for the liquid samples of 2-Methoxyphenyl isocyanate and 2-Methoxyphenyl isothiocyanate. A complete assignment of the measured bands has been proposed as aided by conformational and vibration analyses at B3LYP/6-311++G** level of calculations. Three conformers for 2-Methoxyphenyl isocyanate and two for 2-Methoxyphenyl isothiocyanate have been determined. The tilt of the isocyanate (NCO) and isothiocyanate (NCS) moieties with respect to phenyl ring are in broad agreement with their parents. Stretching mode frequencies of methyl group (-OCH(3)) in 2-Methoxyphenyl isocyanate have been lowered in the 2900-2800 cm(-1); deformation asymmetric modes are IR strong and symmetric one Raman strong. In 2-Methoxyphenyl isothiocyanate, a similar pattern is true for stretching modes but deformation asymmetric modes are IR strong and symmetric mode has not been observed. Multiplet absorption band system near 2200 cm(-1) in 2-Methoxyphenyl isocyanate has been interpreted to be caused by Fermi resonance. A similar pattern in absorption near 2100 cm(-1) in 2-Methoxyphenyl isothiocyanate but more complex Raman band pattern has also been explained through Fermi resonance from heuristic stand-point. Many Raman modes in 1300-1100 cm(-1) are intensified apparently owing to isothiocyanate than isocyanate moiety. Phenyl ring breathing mode is shifted to 1040 cm(-1) as strong Raman; the symmetric stretching mode of O-CH(3) near 1023 cm(-1) as strong absorption.

The vibrational spectra, assignments and ab initio/DFT analysis for 3-chloro, 4-chloro and 5-chloro-2-methylphenyl isocyanates

The Raman (3500-50 cm(-1)) and infrared (4000-200 cm(-1)) spectra of 3-chloro, 4-chloro and 5-chloro-2-methylphenyl isocyanates have been measured. Ab initio and density functional theory calculations, at the levels of RHF/6-311G* and B3LYP/6-311G*, have been performed: energies, optimized geometrical parameters, vibrational frequencies, infrared intensities, Raman activities, depolarization ratios and nuclear displacements are obtained. Potential energy distributions (PEDs) and normal modes, for the spectral data computed at B3LYP/6-311G*, have also been obtained from a force-field calculations. A complete vibrational assignments of the observed spectra have been proposed. The force-field calculations have shown that, several of the normal modes are coupled, as is the case with large molecular systems possessing very low or no symmetry, such as investigated in the present study. Further, the investigation of the internal rotation of the isocyanate, NCO, by B3LYP/6-31G* level of theory has shown that the moiety maintains nearly the same orientation in all the three compounds (approximately 140-145 degrees tilt to the para-position) as in phenyl isocyanate. Two conformers, cis and trans forms, with respect to the substituents, NCO and CH(3), have been determined: the cis form lies above trans form by less than a kilocalorie per mole for each compound.