Week 4 Study Groups Worksheet

MS / UV-Vis / IR – Basics

1.
a. Mass Spectrometry is most useful for:

b. Mass spectrometry cannot (easily) distinguish between:

c. UV-Vis Spectroscopy is most useful for:

d. UV-Vis Spectroscopy cannot (easily) distinguish between:

e. IR Spectroscopy is most useful for:

f. IR spectroscopy cannot (easily) distinguish between:

Extension:

In question 1, you identified what the limitations of each technique are (what they cannot
easily distinguish between). For each technique, explain why the phrase ‘cannot easily
distinguish’ was used, instead of ‘CANNOT distinguish’.
 2.

a) Name these molecules

A: B:

b) Could you distinguish between these by UV-Vis spectroscopy? Why/why not?

c) Could you distinguish between these by the molecular ion Mass Spectrometry?
Why/why not?

d) Match the molecule to the IR spectrum. Justify your decisions

 3. Question Set 2

a) Name these molecules

C: D:

a) What is the molecular formula for each molecule?

C: D:

b) How many DBE does each molecule have?

C: D:

c) Can you distinguish between these based on Mass Spectrometry? Why/why not?

d) Can you distinguish between these based on IR spectra? Why/why not?

e) Can you distinguish between these based on UV-Vis Spectroscopy? Why/why not?

4. At 255 nm, a solution of benzene in methanol in a 1 cm path length cell has

an absorbance of 1.879. The molar absorptivity of benzene is 180 L mol-1cm-1.
Calculate the concentration of benzene in this solution.
Test Practice

1. Which of these molecules, if any, can be distinguished from the others based on the
molecular ion in its mass spectrum? Justify your choice.

2. Which of these molecules, if any, can be distinguished from the others based on its
UV-Vis spectrum? Justify your choice.

3. Which of these molecules, if any, can be distinguished from the others based on its
IR spectrum? Justify your choice.

4. Which of these molecules, if any, can be distinguished from the others based on the
number of peaks above 90 ppm in its 13C NMR spectrum? Justify your choice.

5. Which of these molecules can be identified based on the presence of a signal around
1.3 ppm split into 2 lines in its 1H NMR spectrum? Justify your choice.
Exam Practice

(a) Compound X has the formula C11H14O. Calculate the number of double bond
equivalents (DBEs) in this molecule.

(b) The IR spectrum of compound X (C11H14O) shows an absorption at 1800 cm-1. Which
functional group(s) are most likely to be present in compound X?

Exam Practice (Extension)

For a solution of α-carotene/β-carotene mixture in ethanol in a 1 cm path length cell, two

peaks were observed in the UV-Vis spectrum. The absorbance was 0.378 for λmax at 476 nm
and 0.153 for the λmax at 450 nm. The molar absorptivity of α-carotene is 128,300 L mol-1 cm-
1
and for β-carotene is 107,356 L mol-1 cm-1. What is the concentration of α-carotene in
solution? The structures of the two molecules are given below.