Electronic Spectra of ortho-Substituted Phenols: An Experimental and DFT Study

The electronic spectra of phenol, 2-chlorophenol, 2-aminophenol, and 2-nitrophenol have been studied both experimentally and computationally. The effect of the substituents on the solvatochromic behavior of the phenols were investigated in polar protic (methanol) and aprotic (dimethyl sulfoxide (DMS...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Samuel Tetteh, Ruphino Zugle, John Prosper Kwaku Adotey, Andrews Quashie
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-01-01
Series:Journal of Spectroscopy
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/4193657
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The electronic spectra of phenol, 2-chlorophenol, 2-aminophenol, and 2-nitrophenol have been studied both experimentally and computationally. The effect of the substituents on the solvatochromic behavior of the phenols were investigated in polar protic (methanol) and aprotic (dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)) solvents. The spectra of 2-nitrophenol recorded the highest red shift in methanol. The observed spectral changes were investigated computationally by means of density functional theory (DFT) methods. The gas phase compounds were fully optimized using B3LYP functionals with 6-31++G(d,p) bases set. The effects of the substituents on the electron distribution in the σ-bonds as well as the natural charge on the constituent atoms were analyzed by natural bond orbital (NBO) and natural population analysis (NPA). Second-order perturbation analyses also revealed substantial delocalization of nonbonding electrons on the substituents onto the phenyl ring, thereby increasing its electron density. Full interaction map (FIM) also showed regions of varying propensities for hydrogen and halogen bonding interactions on the phenols.
ISSN:2314-4920
2314-4939