IR Spectrum Table by Frequency Range

Use this table when you already know the frequency of your material. Find the frequency range in the first column on the left side of the chart and
corresponding values in adjacent columns.
If you need to find the frequency of a material go to the IR table by compound.

Absorption (cm-
Frequency Range 1) Appearance Group Compound Class Comments

medium, O-H
4000-3000 cm-1 3700-3584 alcohol free
sharp stretching
strong, O-H intermolecular
3550-3200 alcohol
broad stretching bonded
N-H
3500 medium primary amine
stretching
3400
N-H aliphatic primary
3400-3300 medium
stretching amine
3330-3250
N-H secondary
3350-3310 medium
stretching amine
strong, O-H usually centered
3300-2500 carboxylic acid
broad stretching on 3000 cm-1
weak, O-H intramolecular
3200-2700 alcohol
broad stretching bonded
strong, N-H
3000-2800 amine salt
broad stretching
3000-2500 cm-1
strong, C-H
3000-2500 cm-1 3333-3267 alkyne
sharp stretching
1
 C-H
3100-3000 medium alkene
stretching
C-H
3000-2840 medium alkane
stretching
C-H
2830-2695 medium aldehyde doublet
stretching
S-H
2600-2550 weak thiol
stretching
2400-2000 cm-1
O=C=O
2400-2000 cm-1 2349 strong carbon dioxide
stretching
strong, N=C=O
2275-2250 isocyanate
broad stretching
CΞN
2260-2222 weak nitrile
stretching
CΞC
2260-2190 weak alkyne disubstituted
stretching
S-CΞN
2175-2140 strong thiocyanate
stretching
N=N=N
2160-2120 strong azide
stretching
C=C=O
2150 ketene
stretching
N=C=N
2145-2120 strong carbodiimide
stretching
CΞC
2140-2100 weak alkyne monosubstituted
stretching
N=C=S
2140-1990 strong isothiocyanate
stretching

2
 C=C=C
2000-1900 medium allene
stretching
C=C=N
2000 ketenimine
stretching
2000-1650 cm-1
C-H aromatic
2000-1650 cm-1 2000-1650 weak overtone
bending compound

1870-1540
C=O
1818 strong anhydride
stretching
1750
C=O
1815-1785 strong acid halide
stretching
C=O conjugated acid
1800-1770 strong
stretching halide
C=O conjugated
1775 strong
stretching anhydride
1720
C=O vinyl / phenyl
1770-1780 strong
stretching ester
C=O
1760 strong carboxylic acid monomer
stretching
C=O 6-membered
1750-1735 strong esters
stretching lactone
C=O
1750-1735 strong δ-lactone γ: 1770
stretching
C=O
1745 strong cyclopentanone
stretching
3
 C=O
1740-1720 strong aldehyde
stretching
C=O α,β-unsaturated
1730-1715 strong or formates
stretching ester
or
C=O cyclohexanone
1725-1705 strong aliphatic ketone
stretching or
cyclopentenone
C=O
1720-1706 strong carboxylic acid dimer
stretching
C=O
1710-1680 strong conjugated acid dimer
stretching
C=O conjugated
1710-1685 strong
stretching aldehyde
C=O free (associated:
1690 strong primary amide
stretching 1650)
C=N
1690-1640 medium imine / oxime
stretching
C=O conjugated
1685-1666 strong
stretching ketone
C=O secondary free (associated:
1680 strong
stretching amide 1640)
C=O free (associated:
1680 strong tertiary amide
stretching 1630)
C=O γ: 1750-1700 β:
1650 strong δ-lactam
stretching 1760-1730
1670-1600 cm-1
C=C disubstituted
1670-1600 cm-1 1678-1668 weak alkene
stretching (trans)

4
 C=C
1675-1665 weak alkene trisubstituted
stretching
C=C
1675-1665 weak alkene tetrasubstituted
stretching
C=C disubstituted
1662-1626 medium alkene
stretching (cis)
C=C
1658-1648 medium alkene vinylidene
stretching
C=C conjugated
1650-1600 medium
stretching alkene
N-H
1650-1580 medium amine
bending
C=C
1650-1566 medium cyclic alkene
stretching
C=C
1648-1638 strong alkene monosubstituted
stretching
C=C α,β-unsaturated
1620-1610 strong
stretching ketone
1600-1300 cm-1
N-O
1600-1300 cm-1 1550-1500 strong nitro compound
stretching
1372-1290
C-H
1465 medium alkane methylene group
bending
C-H
1450 medium alkane methyl group
bending
1375
C-H
1390-1380 medium aldehyde
bending

5
 C-H
1385-1380 medium alkane gem dimethyl
bending
1370-1365
1400-1000 cm-1
O-H
1400-1000 cm-1 1440-1395 medium carboxylic acid
bending
O-H
1420-1330 medium alcohol
bending
S=O
1415-1380 strong sulfate
stretching
1200-1185
S=O
1410-1380 strong sulfonyl chloride
stretching
1204-1177
C-F
1400-1000 strong fluoro compound
stretching
O-H
1390-1310 medium phenol
bending
S=O
1372-1335 strong sulfonate
stretching
1195-1168
S=O
1370-1335 strong sulfonamide
stretching
1170-1155
S=O
1350-1342 strong sulfonic acid anhydrous
stretching
hydrate: 1230-
1165-1150
1120

6
 S=O
1350-1300 strong sulfone
stretching
1160-1120
C-N
1342-1266 strong aromatic amine
stretching
C-O
1310-1250 strong aromatic ester
stretching
C-O
1275-1200 strong alkyl aryl ether
stretching
1075-1020
C-N
1250-1020 medium amine
stretching
C-O
1225-1200 strong vinyl ether
stretching
1075-1020
C-O
1210-1163 strong ester
stretching
C-O
1205-1124 strong tertiary alcohol
stretching
C-O
1150-1085 strong aliphatic ether
stretching
C-O secondary
1124-1087 strong
stretching alcohol
C-O
1085-1050 strong primary alcohol
stretching
S=O
1070-1030 strong sulfoxide
stretching
strong, CO-O-CO
1050-1040 anhydride
broad stretching

7
1000-650 cm-1
C=C
1000-650 cm-1 995-985 strong alkene monosubstituted
bending
915-905
C=C disubstituted
980-960 strong alkene
bending (trans)
C=C
895-885 strong alkene vinylidene
bending
C-Cl
850-550 strong halo compound
stretching
C=C
840-790 medium alkene trisubstituted
bending
C=C disubstituted
730-665 strong alkene
bending (cis)
C-Br
690-515 strong halo compound
stretching
C-I
600-500 strong halo compound
stretching
900-700 cm-1
C-H 1,2,4-
900-700 cm-1 880 ± 20 strong
bending trisubstituted
810 ± 20
C-H
880 ± 20 strong 1,3-disubstituted
bending
780 ± 20
(700 ± 20)
C-H 1,4-disubstituted
810 ± 20 strong
bending or

8
 1,2,3,4-
tetrasubstituted
C-H 1,2,3-
780 ± 20 strong
bending trisubstituted
(700 ± 20)
C-H
755 ± 20 strong 1,2-disubstituted
bending
C-H
750 ± 20 strong monosubstituted
bending
benzene
700 ± 20
derivative

9
 IR Table by Compound Class
If you are looking up the absorption of a particular compound class, use this IR spectrum chart. If you already know the frequency, use the IR
frequency table above.

Absorption
Compound Class Group Appearance Comments
(cm-1)
C=O
acid halide 1815-1785 strong
stretching
O-H medium,
alcohols 3700-3584 free
stretching sharp
O-H strong, intermolecular
3550-3200
stretching broad bonded
O-H intramolecular
3200-2700 weak, broad
stretching bonded
O-H
1420-1330 medium
bending
C-H
aldehyde 2830-2695 medium doublet
stretching
C=O
1740-1720 strong
stretching
C-H
1390-1380 medium
bending
C-O
aliphatic ether 1150-1085 strong
stretching
C=O or cyclohexanone or
aliphatic ketone 1725-1705 strong
stretching cyclopentenone
aliphatic primary N-H
3400-3300 medium
amine stretching

10
 C-H
alkane 3000-2840 medium
stretching
C-H
1465 medium methylene group
bending
C-H
1450 medium methyl group
bending
C-H
1385-1380 medium gem dimethyl
bending
C-H
3100-3000 medium
stretching
C=C
1678-1668 weak disubstituted (trans)
stretching
C=C
1675-1665 weak trisubstituted
stretching
C=C
1675-1665 weak tetrasubstituted
stretching
C=C
1662-1626 medium disubstituted (cis)
stretching
C=C
1658-1648 medium vinylidene
stretching
C=C
1648-1638 strong monosubstituted
stretching
C=C
995-985 strong monosubstituted
bending
C=C
980-960 strong disubstituted (trans)
bending
C=C
895-885 strong vinylidene
bending
C=C
840-790 medium trisubstituted
bending
11
 C=C
730-665 strong disubstituted (cis)
bending
C-O
alkyl aryl ether 1275-1200 strong
stretching
C-H strong,
alkyne 3333-3267
stretching sharp
CΞC
2260-2190 weak disubstituted
stretching
CΞC
2140-2100 weak monosubstituted
stretching
C=C=C
allene 2000-1900 medium
stretching
N-H
amine 1650-1580 medium
bending
C-N
1250-1020 medium
stretching
N-H strong,
amine salt 3000-2800
stretching broad
C=O
anhydride 1818 strong
stretching
CO-O-CO strong,
1050-1040
stretching broad
C-N
aromatic amine 1342-1266 strong
stretching
C-H
aromatic compound 2000-1650 weak overtone
bending
C-O
aromatic ester 1310-1250 strong
stretching
N=N=N
azide 2160-2120 strong
stretching
12
benzene derivative 700 ± 20
N=C=N
carbodiimide 2145-2120 strong
stretching
O=C=O
carbon dioxide 2349 strong
stretching
O-H strong, usually centered on
carboxylic acid 3300-2500
stretching broad 3000 cm-1
C=O
1760 strong monomer
stretching
C=O
1720-1706 strong dimer
stretching
O-H
1440-1395 medium
bending
C=O
conjugated acid 1710-1680 strong dimer
stretching
conjugated acid C=O
1800-1770 strong
halide stretching
conjugated C=O
1710-1685 strong
aldehyde stretching
C=C
conjugated alkene 1650-1600 medium
stretching
conjugated C=O
1775 strong
anhydride stretching
C=O
conjugated ketone 1685-1666 strong
stretching
C=C
cyclic alkene 1650-1566 medium
stretching
C=O
cyclopentanone 1745 strong
stretching

13
 C-O
ester 1210-1163 strong
stretching
C=O 6-membered
esters 1750-1735 strong
stretching lactone
C-F
fluoro compound 1400-1000 strong
stretching
C-Cl
halo compound 850-550 strong
stretching
C-Br
690-515 strong
stretching
C-I
600-500 strong
stretching
C=N
imine / oxime 1690-1640 medium
stretching
N=C=O strong,
isocyanate 2275-2250
stretching broad
N=C=S
isothiocyanate 2140-1990 strong
stretching
C=C=O
ketene 2150
stretching
C=C=N
ketenimine 2000
stretching
C-H
monosubstituted 750 ± 20 strong
bending
CΞN
nitrile 2260-2222 weak
stretching
N-O
nitro compound 1550-1500 strong
stretching
none 3330-3250

14
none 1870-1540
none 1750
none 1720
none 1372-1290
none 1375
none 1370-1365
none 1200-1185
none 1204-1177
none 1195-1168
none 1170-1155
none 1165-1150 hydrate: 1230-1120
none 1160-1120
none 1075-1020
none 1075-1020
none 915-905
none 810 ± 20
none 780 ± 20
none (700 ± 20)
none (700 ± 20)
O-H
phenol 1390-1310 medium
bending
C-O
primary alcohol 1085-1050 strong
stretching
C=O free (associated:
primary amide 1690 strong
stretching 1650)

15
 N-H
3500 medium
stretching
C-O
secondary alcohol 1124-1087 strong
stretching
C=O free (associated:
secondary amide 1680 strong
stretching 1640)
N-H
secondary amine 3350-3310 medium
stretching
S=O
sulfate 1415-1380 strong
stretching
S=O
sulfonamide 1370-1335 strong
stretching
S=O
sulfonate 1372-1335 strong
stretching
S=O
sulfone 1350-1300 strong
stretching
S=O
sulfonic acid 1350-1342 strong anhydrous
stretching
S=O
sulfonyl chloride 1410-1380 strong
stretching
S=O
sulfoxide 1070-1030 strong
stretching
C-O
tertiary alcohol 1205-1124 strong
stretching
C=O free (associated:
tertiary amide 1680 strong
stretching 1630)
S-CΞN
thiocyanate 2175-2140 strong
stretching
S-H
thiol 2600-2550 weak
stretching
16
 C=O
vinyl / phenyl ester 1770-1780 strong
stretching
C-O
vinyl ether 1225-1200 strong
stretching
α,β-unsaturated C=O
1730-1715 strong or formates
ester stretching
α,β-unsaturated C=C
1620-1610 strong
ketone stretching
C=O γ: 1750-1700 β:
δ-lactam 1650 strong
stretching 1760-1730
C=O
δ-lactone 1750-1735 strong γ: 1770
stretching
1,2,3,4-
tetrasubstituted
C-H
1,2,3-trisubstituted 780 ± 20 strong
bending
C-H
880 ± 20 strong
bending
C-H
1,2-disubstituted 755 ± 20 strong
bending
C-H
880 ± 20 strong
bending
C-H
1,4-disubstituted or 810 ± 20 strong
bending

17