Although many of the bands in the IR spectrum can be used to identify particular functional

groups, the region from about 500 - 1500 cm-1 usually contains a complicated series of bands,
many of which overlap. This region contains absorptions which correspond to bending as
well as stretching vibrations. It is difficult to pick out individual bands and assign
them reliably to a particular functional group or bond in a molecule. This part of the spectrum
is called the fingerprint region.
Although this region is not very useful for detecting which functional groups are present, it
can still be useful for identifying the molecule provided its IR spectrum is already known.
Each compound's IR spectrum is unique and so, by matching a spectrum to a library or
database either electronically or by eye, it can be positively identified. Such methods are used
in forensic, analytical and environmental applications as well as in research chemistry.
The IR spectra of the two isomers of C4H10, methylpropane and butane, are shown below. The
same types of bonds are present in both molecules and, as a result, the spectra are very
similar and the only characteristic bands present are those due to C-H, which is not
particularly useful in identifying which alkane might be present. The differences in the
fingerprint region are small but significant enough to be used to positively identify which of
these is present at, for example, a suspicious fire.

methylpropane

butane