What absorbs at 1460 cm⁻¹ in an FTIR spectrum?
A band near 1460 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
Quick answer
A band near 1460 cm⁻¹ is usually interpreted by checking which functional groups repeatedly co-occur there in the literature, then confirming at least one or two additional peaks in the same sample. This page ranks those assignments by accumulated evidence rather than by a single fixed textbook rule.
Possible functional-group assignments
| Functional group | Supporting facts | Cited sources | Top confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alkyl C-H | 83 | 79 | 1.0 |
| Methacrylate | 21 | 19 | 1.0 |
| Acetate | 20 | 18 | 1.0 |
| Methoxy (OCH3) | 19 | 17 | 1.0 |
| Aromatic ring | 14 | 13 | 1.0 |
| C-O single bond | 14 | 11 | 1.0 |
| Amide | 13 | 13 | 1.0 |
| Methyl | 11 | 10 | 1.0 |
| Hydroxyl (O-H) | 10 | 9 | 1.0 |
| Ring structure | 9 | 9 | 1.0 |
| Carbonyl (C=O) | 7 | 7 | 1.0 |
| Carboxyl (COOH) | 7 | 6 | 1.0 |
| Secondary amine | 6 | 6 | 1.0 |
| N h | 6 | 5 | 1.0 |
| Ester | 4 | 4 | 1.0 |
| C n single bond | 4 | 4 | 1.0 |
| Alkene (C=C) | 4 | 3 | 1.0 |
| Carbonate | 4 | 3 | 1.0 |
| Ketone | 3 | 3 | 1.0 |
| C c single bond | 3 | 3 | 1.0 |
| Carbohydrate | 3 | 3 | 1.0 |
| Water (H2O) | 2 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Amino acid | 2 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Silicon-oxygen (Si-O) | 2 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Lignin | 2 | 2 | 1.0 |
| S eq o | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Metal oxygen | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Hydrogen bond | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Siloxane (Si-O-Si) | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| N-O bond | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Protein | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Ammonium | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Lipid | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Amine primary | 1 | 0 | 1.0 |
Ranking reflects accumulated literature evidence, not a single fixed rule. Always confirm against your sample context.
Spectrum logic
This band becomes meaningful only when read with its neighboring peaks. In practice, analysts first look at the assignments above, then check whether the same sample also shows other peaks expected for the same structural motif. A lone band near 1460 cm⁻¹ is usually not enough for material identification by itself.
Real-world usage
This type of query is common in polymer identification, unknown plastic screening, QC troubleshooting, recycled-material verification, and literature-backed peak assignment review.
Common mistakes
- Treating one isolated band as proof of a material without checking at least one or two supporting peaks.
- Ignoring overlap: multiple functional groups can contribute near the same wavenumber.
- Skipping validation when additives, blends, oxidation, or contamination may distort the spectrum.
Verification advice
When ambiguity remains, validate the hypothesis with DSC, GC-MS, or TGA, especially for blends, degraded samples, and filled polymers.
Literature behind these assignments
-
Alkyl C-H confidence 1.0
“Two other 1460cm-1 1420cm-1 bands can be assigned to alkyl groups: the first between and involve bending 1379cm-1 vibration of CH and asymmetric bending vibration of CH 3, the second at is only due to 2”
Chen 等 - 2019 - Baltic amber or Burmese amber FTIR studies on amb DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2019.117270 -
Alkyl C-H confidence 1.0
“This was achieved by dividing the areas of these peaks at the aforementioned wave numbers by the cm(cid:3)1, summation of CH and CH peak areas at 1460 and 1375 respectively;”
Effect of used motor oil as a rejuvenator on crumb rubber modifier’s released components to asphalt binder DOI: 10.1177/1477760620918600 -
Silicon-oxygen (Si-O) confidence 1.0
“The ease of crystallization of the SiO 2 cm-1 is related to vibrations (vi) The peak at about 1460 same glass constituents is assumed to be due to the presof carbonate groups.”
El-Batal 等 - 2018 - Studies of Bone-Bonding Ability and Antibacterial DOI: 10.1007/s12633-017-9580-7 -
Alkyl C-H confidence 1.0
“cm-1 The band at 1460 corresponds to the asymmetric deformation of C-H bond of xylan, while cm-1 the band at 1420 corresponds to the vibration of the aromatic ring of lignin, but also to the C-H”
Esteves 等 - 2013 - CHEMICAL CHANGES OF HEAT TREATED PINE AND EUCALYPT DOI: 10.4067/S0718-221X2013005000020 -
Acetate confidence 1.0
“1375cm-1 a larger evolution on the S (ii) The 1460 and bands are typically attributed to O peak than on the C O one.”
Fernandez-Varela 等 - 2006 - Monitoring photooxidation of the Prestige's oil sp DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2005.10.006 -
Amino acid confidence 1.0
“The relative peak intensity ratio 1460) techniques used in the treatment of colorectal cancer and was significantly increased (P<0.05), the I 1740/I ratio, asso5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is the chemotherapeutic agent of choice 1460 cm-1 ciated w”
Gao 等 - 2015 - Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy monit DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2014.3088 -
Lipid confidence 1.0
“An increase cm-1) in intensity was mainly observed in TAGs (~1740 but not in other lipid bands at ~ 1460cm-1 1380cm-1 and ~ from CH deformation of hydrocarbons (Fig 1B, 2B, 3B, and 4B) in M.contortum Chlamydomonas the NP1 treatment.”
Response to nutrient variation on lipid productivity in green microalgae captured using second derivative FTIR and Raman spectroscopy DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2021.120830 -
Acetate confidence 1.0
“O-H stretching 3494.77 3496.70 3494.77 3492.85 3434.98 3454.27 3436.91 vibration 2339.49 2360.71 2364.57 2360.71 2343.35 2341.42 2339.49 CO O-H stretching 3494.77 3496.70 3494.77 3492.85 3434.98 3454.27 3436.91 O-H stretching 3494.77 3496.7”
Harsono 等 - 2017 - Paramagnetic Zn(1-x)MnxO (0.00≤x≤0.06) Nanopar DOI: 10.4313/TEEM.2017.18.1.46
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