What absorbs at 1590 cm⁻¹ in an FTIR spectrum?
A band near 1590 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 320,000+ reference spectra and knowledge graph.
Backed by 7 cited sources
Quick answer
A band near 1590 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carboxyl (COOH) | 19 | 16 | 1.0 |
| Aromatic ring | 12 | 12 | 1.0 |
| Alkene (C=C) | 12 | 10 | 1.0 |
| Amide | 11 | 11 | 1.0 |
| N h | 11 | 11 | 1.0 |
| Ring structure | 9 | 9 | 1.0 |
| Carbonyl (C=O) | 8 | 7 | 1.0 |
| Alkyl C-H | 6 | 5 | 1.0 |
| Methacrylate | 5 | 5 | 1.0 |
| Ketone | 5 | 5 | 1.0 |
| Ester | 5 | 5 | 1.0 |
| Acetate | 5 | 5 | 1.0 |
| C c single bond | 4 | 4 | 1.0 |
| Amine primary | 4 | 4 | 1.0 |
| Secondary amine | 4 | 4 | 1.0 |
| Water (H2O) | 3 | 3 | 1.0 |
| N-O bond | 3 | 3 | 1.0 |
| Lignin | 3 | 3 | 1.0 |
| Hydroxyl (O-H) | 3 | 2 | 1.0 |
| C=n | 3 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Carbohydrate | 2 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Protein | 2 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Anhydride | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Hydrogen bond | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Silicon-oxygen (Si-O) | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Silicon (Si) | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Nitrile | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| C n single bond | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Carbon dioxide | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Carbonate | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Nitrogen heterocycle | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Boron nitrogen | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Oxygen heterocycle | 1 | 1 | 0.9 |
| Oxalate | 1 | 0 | 1.0 |
| C-O single bond | 1 | 0 | 1.0 |
Ranking reflects accumulated literature evidence, not a single fixed rule. Always confirm against your sample context.
Possible materials
| Material | Supporting peaks | Overlapping groups | Cited sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| polyaniline | 1590, 1175, 2949 | Aromatic ring, Amide | 1 |
| nanocellulose | 1590, 1030, 1540 | Amide | 1 |
Materials are shown only when the same literature pool supports this band and at least one additional characteristic peak.
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 1590 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
-
Lignin
- Reported band
- 1590 cm-1
- Assignment
- Lignin
- Material / context
- lignin
-
Alkene (C=C)
- Reported band
- 1590 cm-1
- Assignment
- Alkene (C=C)
- Material / context
- Bis-phenol A derivative; dimethacrylate dental monomers
-
Aromatic ring
- Reported band
- 1590 cm-1
- Assignment
- Aromatic ring
- Material / context
- polyaniline
-
Ring structure
- Reported band
- 1590 cm-1
- Assignment
- Ring structure
- Material / context
- copper(II) mononuclear compound; b>-pyrazolyl)pyridine (bdm; 6- bis
-
Carboxyl (COOH)
- Reported band
- 1590 cm-1
- Assignment
- Carboxyl (COOH)
- Material / context
- Nanocellulose Film from Abaca Fibers; abaca fiber; nanocellulose
-
N-O bond
- Reported band
- 1590 cm-1
- Assignment
- N-O bond
- Material / context
- carbon fibers based on electron-beam irradiated polyacrylonitrile fibers; carbon fibers; PAN fibers
-
Carboxyl (COOH)
- Reported band
- 1590 cm-1
- Assignment
- Carboxyl (COOH)
- Material / context
- glyoxal oligomer
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