EXPERIMENT 2: DETERMINATION OF A MIXTURE OF XYLENE ISOMERS

USING INFRARED (IR) SPECTROMETER

Objectives:

Upon completion of this experiment, students should be able to:

1. Prepare samples for IR analysis

2. Measure Po/p using baseline
3. Perform IR analysis on aqueous solutions

Introduction:

Meta- and para-xylene are determined in mixture using ortho-xylene as an internal standard
to compensate for variation in cell length between runs. The infrared spectrum of the
unknown mixture is recorded and the relative height of peaks of the two compounds are
compared with those of standard mixture, using the baseline technique. The chemical
structures of ortho-, meta- and para-xylene are shown in figure below:

Chemicals and Apparatus:

Chemicals:

Ortho-xylene

Meta-xylene

Para-xylene

Cyclohexane
Apparatus:

Beaker (100 mL)

Micropipette

Procedure:

Part A: Preparation of solutions

1. Provided. Ortho-, meta- and para-xylene

2. To prepare. A series of standard solutions in 10 mL volumetric flask was prepared,
following the volume of isomers as depicted in table below:

Volume of isomer (mL)

Xylene isomer
I II III IV
Ortho- 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2
Meta- 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.5
Para- 0.5 0.3 0.2 0.1

3. To each of the volumetric flask, cyclohexane was added to the mark

Part B: UV-Visible analysis

1. Consult your lab assistant, prior to operate of your instrument

2. The infrared cell was handled carefully, avoiding contact with water and the fingers
3. Spectra on each of the following solution from 2000 to 650 cm-1 was ran:
i. Solution of 50% (vol/vol) o-xylene in cyclohexane
ii. Solution of 50% (vol/vol) m-xylene in cyclohexane
iii. Solution of 50% (vol/vol) p-xylene in cyclohexane
iv. Standard solutions I-IV
v. Pure cyclohexane solvent
vi. Unknown solution
4. From the spectra of the pure substances, a peak of each isomer to measure was chosen
5. Using the baseline method, Po/P was measured for the peak for each compound
 6. An unknown mixture of isomers was obtained from our lab assistant. The spectrum
was ran on this mixture and using the baseline method, Po/P for three compound was
measured

Results:

Part A: Absorbance peaks of infrared for xylene isomers

Xylene isomer Peak (cm-1)

o-xylene 696.78
m-xylene 767.57
p-xylene 794.01

Part B: Absorbance (log Po/P) for xylene isomers

o-xylene isomers

Solution % o-xylene Po P log Po/P (x 10-3)

I 2 99.76 97.75 8.84
II 2 99.75 97.75 8.80
III 2 99.81 97.63 9.59
IV 2 98.13 96.25 8.40
Unknown 98.13 96.13 8.94

m-xylene

Solution % m-xylene Po P log Po/P (x 10-3)

I 1 99.76 99.10 2.88
II 2 99.75 98.31 6.32
III 3 99.81 98.00 7.95
IV 5 99.75 96.20 15.74
Unknown 98.19 90.25 36.62

p-xylene

Solution % p-xylene Po P log Po/P (x 10-3)

I 5 100.00 96.90 13.68
II 3 99.88 98.13 9.68
III 2 100.0 98.69 5.73
IV 1 99.50 93.19 28.43
Unknown 97.94 96.25 7.56

Solution of 50% (vol/vol) o-xylene in cyclohexane

% o-xylene Po P log Po/P

50 97.63 89.75 0.0365

Solution of 50% (vol/vol) m-xylene in cyclohexane

% m-xylene Po P log Po/P

50 99.19 84.25 0.0709

Solution of 50% (vol/vol) p-xylene in cyclohexane

% p-xylene Po P log Po/P

50 98.63 82.00 0.0802
Discussion:

In this experiment, we are able to determine the mixture of xylene isomers that consisit
of ortho-, meta- and para-xylene using infrared spectrometry. There are two types of spectra
that we obtained from this experiment. The first type of spectra is comparing the standard I-
IV with pure ortho-, meta- and para-xylene. We compared both spectra based on the nearest
value in each pure xylene compound. The second type of spectra is comparing the pure
xylene and cyclohexane with the solution of cyclohexane.

Based on the two types of spectra, we can see that there are other substances other than
ortho-, meta- and para-xylene itself. The absorption peaks within IR region are ususally
sharper compared with absorption pekas from ultraviolet and visible region. From both
spectra, we obtained the value of Po, P and log Po/P using the baseline method.
Conclusion:

The samples for IR analysis was prepared. Po/P was measured using baseline method.
IR analysis was performed on aqueous solution.

References:

Chemistry Libretext. (2019). Infrared: Theory. Retrieved from

https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry_Textbook_
Maps/Supplemental_Modules_(Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry)/Spectroscopy/Vibr
ational_Spectroscopy/Infrared_Spectroscopy/Infrared%3A_Theory

Pharmatutor. (2008). Define and differentiate between auxochromes and chromophores.

Exemplify and explain how auxochrome shifts. Retrieved from
https://www.pharmatutor.org/pharma-analysis/define-and-differentiate-between-
auxochromes-and-chromophores-exemplify-and-explain-how-auxochrome-hifts

Thermo Scientific. (2008). Advantages of a Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer.

Retrieved from https://assets.thermofisher.com/TFS-Assets/LSG/Application-
Notes/TN50674-E-0215M-FT-IR-Advantages.pdf
Questions:

1. What is the criterion for absorption to occur in the infrared region?

- A criterion for IR absorption is a net change in dipole moment in a molecule
as it vibrates or rotates.

2. What types of molecular vibration are associated with infrared absorption?

- Vibration fall into the basic categories which are stretching and bending. A
stretching vibration involves a continuous change in the interatomic distance
along the axis of the bond between two atoms. Bending vibrations are
characterized by a change in the angle between two bonds and there are four
types which are scissoring, rocking, wagging and twisting.

3. Define the following terms:

a. Chromophore: a group of atoms and electrons forming part of an organic
molecule that causes it to be colored
b. Auxochrome: It is a group which itself does not act as a chromophore but
when attached to a chromophore, it shifts the adsorption towards longer
wavelength along with an increase in the intensity of absorption
c. Bathchromic shift: a shift of a band to lower energy or longer wavelength
(often called a red shift)
d. Hypsochromic shift: a shift of a band to higher energy or shorter
wavelength (often called a blue shift)
e. Hyperchromism: an increase in the molar absorptivity
f. Hypochromism: an decrease in the molar absorptivity
4. Sulfur dioxide is a non-linear molecule. How many vibrational model will this
compound have? How many absorption peaks would sulfur dioxide be
expected to have?
- the number of modes of vibrations for a non-linear molecule is 3N-6. The
number of modes for sulfur dioxide is:
3 N−6=3 ( 3 )−6=3
- there are three absorption peaks will sulfur dioxide be expected to have

5. What are the advantages of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer

compared to a dispersive instrument?
- Multiplex advantage: many scans can be completed and averaged on an FTIR
in a shorter time than one scan on most dispersive instruments
- Throughput advantage: more energy reaches the samples and hence the
detector in an FTIR spectrometer than in a dispersive spectrometer
- Precision advantage: an FTIR spectrometer uses a laser to control the velocity
of the moving mirror and to time the collection of data points throughout the
mirror stake