FTIR PEAK INTERPRETATION

What absorbs at 1240 cm⁻¹ in an FTIR spectrum?

A band near 1240 cm⁻¹ can point to several functional groups. Below are the most likely assignments, ranked by how much published evidence supports each — every one traceable to literature (DOI) and cross-validated against our 130,000+ reference spectra and knowledge graph.

Backed by 8 cited sources

Possible functional-group assignments

Functional group Supporting facts Cited sources Top confidence
Amide 10 10 0.95
C-O single bond 9 9 1.0
Phosphate (PO4) 5 4 0.9
C n single bond 3 2 1.0
Lignin 2 2 0.7
N h 1 1 1.0
Water (H2O) 1 1 1.0
Hydroxyl (O-H) 1 1 0.9
Carbohydrate 1 1 0.9
Ammonium 1 1 0.8
Protein 1 1 0.6
Lipid 1 1 0.6

Ranking reflects accumulated literature evidence, not a single authoritative rule. Always confirm against your sample context.

Literature behind these assignments

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